BJMP establishes 222 isolation areas as jails are under total lockdown

BJMP jail in Camp Bagong Diwa’s annex building in Taguig City. INQUIRER file photo / JOAN BONDOC

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has so far established 222 COVID-19 isolation facilities in a bid to contain the spread of the virus in the country’s city and provincial jails.

This was according to President Rodrigo Duterte’s fifth weekly report to Congress that Malacañang submitted on Monday.

Duterte, in his report said the BJMP has placed all of its 468 supervised jail facilities across the country under “total lockdown” in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since last March, visitation rights of inmates have been suspended to contain the spread of the virus.

Aside from the imposition of a “total lockdown” in all of its district, city, and municipal jails, the BJMP also identified 222 isolation areas as more COVID-19 cases are reported among BJMP inmates across the country.

Four regional isolation centers have also been established, Duterte’s report added.

The BJMP, meanwhile, assured that all probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases among its inmates have either been brought to isolation centers or hospitals for proper medication and health monitoring.

The BJMP also said that the 18 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in the Correctional Institution for Women have been transferred to a quarantine area in “Site Harry.”

Earlier, nine PDLs detained at the Quezon City Jail and nine BJMP personnel tested positive for the new coronavirus.

As of Monday afternoon, Philippine health officials have confirmed 7,777  COVID-19 cases in the country.

Of these cases, 932 have recovered from the disease while 511 have died.

JPV