TB strikes jailhouse holding Ampatuans

Some of the people attending Wednesday’s hearing on the 2009 Maguindanao Massacre at the Quezon City Jail Annex in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, had to wear face masks following reports that several inmates had contracted tuberculosis.

Jail Officer Editha Obias, who also serves as the jail nurse, confirmed that since May 6, 14 out of the 140 detainees had been diagnosed with TB.

She clarified that none of the accused in the 2009 mass murders, including members of the powerful Ampatuan clan, had been afflicted but “only those in the section (for) inmates who had been sentenced.”

Obias said the TB patients—whom she described as “isolated cases” and not yet indicative of an outbreak—were all placed in one cell to prevent the disease from spreading. Niña P. Calleja