90-year-old in falsification case is oldest inmate in women’s correctional 

At 90-years-old, Lola Petra is the oldest prisoner in the Correctional Instiutiton for Women in Mandaluyong. 

 

Held for falsification of public documents despite being illiterate, she has yet to receive executive clemency despite being well over the age of eligibility for parole.

 

"Hindi ako makatulog sa gabi. Maawa kayo, palayain na ako," pleaded Lola Petra on "24 Oras" Wednesday.

 

Other inmates face similar conditions, worsened by illnesses their meager allowances couldn't treat. Prisoners are expected to buy medicines at P3 a day and feed themselves with a daily allowance of P30, making most prisoners dependent on their relatives for help.

 

Rosemarie Mendoza, a 65-year-old malnourished inmate pleaded with her son to visit her. He has not visited her for seven years.

 

While they could not give them "special treatment", Penal Institution Supervisor Epifania Garduque said they've given consideration to the elderly inmates' state in their detention.

 

"Walang special treatment talaga. Ang treatment namin sa kanila is more on makatao, it's more on humane," said Garduque.

 

Elderly inmates like Lola Petra and Mendoza believe old age and illness shoudn't excuse senior citizens from being held in a regular penitentiary, the "24 Oras" report said.

 

Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile, who's also 90 years old, has asked the the Sandiganbayan to place him under hospital arrest.  He is facing plunder and graft charges in connection with his alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam.

 

"Ang sabi nga, ang nagkasala ay bigyan rin ng parusa. Kaya po andito nga kami para parusahan. Kayanin rin nila kasi kami, kinaya namin eh," said Lola Cris, who had served 21 years in prison with one eye blinded from diabetes.

 

Enrile earlier asked the Sandiganbayan to put him under hospital arrest pending the resolution of his motion for bail, due to his advanced age and fragile health. 

 

Two days after his appeal, the prosecution in the pork barrel cases against Enrile opposed his motion to be detained at the Philippine National Police General Hospital.

 

In a three-page comment, they said the senate minority leader gave "dubious and questionable" justifications for his appeals. 

 

Furthermore, they said the senator "has not made a record of inability to discharge his function as a senator" prior to his arrest. 

 

However, the Sandiganbayan allowed Enrile to continue his stay at the Philippine National Police General Hospital pending the result of a medical examination the court ordered. The results will determine if there is a need for the senator to be detained in a medical facility. —Rie Takumi/NB, GMA News