BuCor reports 194 COVID-19 cases in various facilities; 6 inmates dying

 “Site Harry,” a quarantine facility inside the New Bilibid Prison/PHOTO from BuCor PIO

MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has 194 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with six persons deprived of liberty (PDL) dying of the respiratory disease.

Based on the record provided by BuCor to the Department of Justice (DOJ), as of May 25, of the 194 confirmed cases, 161 are inmates or PDLs, while 33 are jail personnel.

In the same report, eight have already recovered from COVID-19.

Facade of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), with sign of Bureau of Corrections (BuCor). Image from the BuCor website

BuCor manages seven penal facilities, but of the seven, the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) has the most number of confirmed cases with 82 PDLs and 26 personnel.

Out of the 82 PDLs with COVID-19, eight of them were from the Maximum Security Compound, 43 from the Medium Security Compound, while no PDL was infected with COVID-19 at the Minimum Security Compound. Meanwhile, its Reception and Diagnostic Center (RDC) recorded 31 confirmed cases.

At the Correctional Institute for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City, the facility had 79 PDLs and five personnel confirmed to have the virus while the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City have 15 PDLs that were classified as suspected cases of COVID-19.

Other penal facilities – Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF), Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF), Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF), and Leyte Regional Prison (LRP) have so far no reported cases of COVID-19.

Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm, established in 1904 in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan province, is the country’s largest open prison, with more than 2,700 inmates as of September this year. —CELESTEANNA FORMOSO/CONTRIBUTOR

Justice Undersecretary and DOJ Spokesperson Markk Perete said the second batch of 1,500 rapid test kits for use by PDLs are set to be delivered to the BuCor this week.

He added that laptops would also be provided to the BuCor for its E-Dalaw program so that the PDLs can communicate with their families outside.

“At a time when physical visitations at the NBP is not allowed, the E-Dalaw program would provide electronic or virtual venues for PDLs and their families to communicate during this time of the pandemic,” Perete said.

The laptops were provided under the GoJust Program of the European Union (EU).