Bilibid inmates also need some love – wives of jailed convicts

MANILA, Philippines – Everyone should have some love on Valentine’s Day, including inmates of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

On Tuesday, wives of NBP inmates urged Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to allow them conjugal visits so they could spend Valentine’s Day with their husbands.

Members of the Alliance of Inmate and Detainees-Dalaw (AID-Dalaw) met with de Lima to air their appeal.

Henedina Javellana, president of AID-Dalaw, said that convicts, who had been deprived by the society of care and attention, are also capable of loving and being loved.

The group lamented that while they are already allowed to visit their husbands, it is only for a very limited period only.

“We understand that the suspension of visitation rights is also for our protection, especially with what’s happening inside the NBP in the past two months,” Javellana said.

“But just like everybody else, the inmates also desire to be loved and cared by their families and relatives. They get lonely there [NBP],” Javellana said.

She said they had a “heart-to-heart talk” with de Lima.

“Very open si Secretary sa request namin and naging positive din ang pag-uusap namin. She allowed us to be with our husbands on Feb 14,” Javellana said.

The Justice chief ordered the suspension of visiting rights after several raids yielded illegal drugs, firearms and contrabands. There was also a grenade explosion inside its Maximum Security Compound.

Several of the inmates filed petitions asking the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals to order their return to the NBP.