DOJ, BuCor now have ‘closer coordination’ on status of high-profile inmates

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice and Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) now have a “closer coordination” on the status and location of high-profile inmates in BuCor following the deaths due to COVID-19 of some inmates tagged in sensational cases.

“We’ve asked BuCor to inform us regarding these high-profile inmates. We have put in place now a closer coordination for us to know kung nasaan and ano ang kondisyon ng high-profile inmates (where and what the condition of high-profile inmates are),” Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said in an interview with ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo on Monday.

Perete said that the DOJ now also requires BuCor to report to the department the names and other details of inmates who contract the coronavirus disease.

Previously, the BuCor would send a weekly report to the DOJ on the COVID-19 situation in its facilities but the report only included numbers of confirmed cases, as well as suspects and probables.

“After na lumabas itong balita na may mga high-profile inmates na namamatay at may iba-ibang spekulasyon na lumabas, nagbago ang ating protocol ngayon. Nirerequire na na ibigay ang pangalan, as well as other details regarding the inmates,” he said.

(After news broke out that high-profile inmates have died and other speculations surfaced, the protocols have changed. We are now requiring BuCor to give the names and other details regarding the inmates.)

Perete said the BuCor previously had qualms in reporting to the DOJ the names of high-profile inmates who died due to COVID-19 because of the Data Privacy Act.

“Although sa ating pagpupulong naipaliwanag din natin sa pamunuan ng BuCor na in cases na may public interest involved, especially in cases of death, ‘yung restrictions ng data privacy law may not apply,” added Perete.

(But in our meeting, we have explained to BuCor that in cases where there is public interest involved, especially in cases of death, the restrictions of the data privacy law may not apply.)

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