CHR asks IATF, Duque: What happened to request to vaccinate detainees?

The 22.8-square-meter city jail made for 40 inmates currently holds 143 detainees. INQUIRER file photo / MATTHEW REYSIO-CRUZ

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has asked the national government’s task force in charge of the COVID-19 response for an update on a group’s request to include elderly detainees and those with comorbidities for the COVID-19 vaccination program.

In a letter addressed to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, chairperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), CHR said that they would seek an update on the request detainee rights’ group Kapatid.

Kapatid, which looks after persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), especially political detainees, sent out a letter to CHR last August 6 about their suggestion to include elderly detainees and sickly PDLs into COVID-19 vaccinations.  CHR then sent a letter to Duque and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.

“As one month has passed since the sending of the said letter, we would like to follow up on this,” Prevention Cluster – Visitorial Division Director IV Homero Matthew Rusiana said in the letter.

“We would highly appreciate if we can be provided with relevant data on the plan for the vaccination against COVID-19 for [PDL] including the road map, target dates and PDL populations for the vaccination program, and numbers of PDL already vaccinated, if any, among others,” Rusiana added.

CHR also noted that while the letter from Kapatid focused on political prisoners or those arrested due to their political affiliations or their ties with leftist and opposition groups, the current request of the commission extends to all PDLs, especially the old and those with comorbidities.

“The letter from KAPATID specifically requested assistance on behalf of political prisoners. However, our present letter would like to request that such assistance be extended to all PDL, of course with priority to elderly PDL and/or PDL with comorbidity,” Rusiana said.

“Nonetheless, may we reiterate KAPATID’s concern, as stated in the August 6 letter, for the following political prisoners,” he added.

Kapatid gave two names — Antonio Molina, 66, who suffers from cancer and is detained at Puerto Princesa, Palawan; and Ernesto Jude Rimando, 55, with end-stage liver cirrhosis who is held at Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig.

Both have ailments that would make them vulnerable to severe COVID-19 sickness if they got infected.

But aside from protecting PDLs, CHR also stressed that vaccinating detainees would also protect jail personnel like guards and wardens, as they are exposed to the inmates regularly.

“We hope to get an update on this matter even if this is not yet a national news concern. It would be better to be proactive in this and act sooner than later. Also, vaccination of PDL would protect prison and jail personnel from the disease,” Rusiana noted.

Many PDLs have already been released to minimize jail congestion, as experts believe crowded areas would be conducive for COVID-19 transmissions.

Just in July 2020 — before the COVID-19 surges in August 2020, March 2021, and the recent August 2021 spike — the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has already released over 15,000 inmates to avoid COVID-19 transmissions in jail facilities.

In less than a month after, the number of inmates released ballooned up to over 22,000.

READ: Over 15K inmates released amid COVID-19 fears 

READ: 22,000 inmates released to decongest jails 

As of Friday, the Department of Health has reported that the country now has 175,470 active COVID-19 cases after recording 17,964 new infections.  This comes as the country is still experiencing a surge in cases brought by the more infectious Delta variant.

READ: PH’s active COVID-19 cases swell to 175,470 with 17,964 new