DOH to look into allowing face-to-face visitations for PDLs

The Department of Health (DOH) will look into allowing face-to-face visitations for persons deprived of liberty as the Christmas season nears.

At the Laging Handa briefing on Tuesday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the DOH will coordinate with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

“Tignan natin kung ano ba ang mga health protocols nila. Siyempre lahat naman ‘yan may mga health protocols yan na tinulong ng DOH buuin, ano? TIgnan natin ‘yung kanilang datos,” Duque said.

(Let’s check their health protocols. Of course, the DOH helped in creating all of their health protocols. We’ll also check their data.)

“Tignan natin kung ano ba ang pagluluwang ng restrictions na puwede gawin (let’s see what restrictions we can ease),” he added.

Also on Tuesday, Malacañang said the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) will study the proposal of the BJMP to allow in-person visitors for PDLs in the face of decreasing COVID-19 cases and significant COVID-19 vaccination coverage.

“The technical working group in the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) would need to see this BJMP proposal so they can study it and get inputs from other relevant agencies,” presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said.

BJMP spokesperson Chief Inspector Xavier Solda said the BJMP has not recorded any new case and there is only one COVID-19 case currently among PDLs staying at the Ligtas COVID center in Payatas, Quezon City.

According to Solda, 94.81% of PDLs have been vaccinated against COVID-19. 

CHR

Commission on Human Rights (CHR) spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia earlier welcomed BJMP’s announcement that it is already preparing for the possible granular opening of no contact visitation for PDLs this Christmas season.

De Guia cited that under the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, prisoners should be allowed contacts or visitations under necessary supervision.

“Since the start of the pandemic, visitations and communications of PDLs with their loved ones and family members have been limited to electronic dalaw (e-Dalaw) or electronic visitations using computers. Thus, the movement towards the resumption of physical visits as we approach the holiday season is a welcome action in the humane treatment of prisoners,” De Guia said.

“Providing PDLs the opportunity to see their loved ones, with due compliance to health protocols and safety measures, is beneficial to their mental health and general well-being,” she added.

De Guia also said that as the lead agency in the Interim National Preventive Mechanism, the CHR consistently supports actions that will help improve the well-being and situation of PDLs.

“The resumption of physical visits and the continued use of the e-Dalaw system are laudable actions of the BJMP in ensuring that persons deprived of liberty are not deprived of the essential need for human connection and communication,” she pointed out.

De Guia said that BJMP facilities in Cebu, Cordillera, and Metro Manila have already begun the pilot run for the non-contact visitation while other facilities await the approval of their respective regional director pending the completion of facility requirements. — RSJ, GMA News