BJMP identifies elderly inmates qualified for early release

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has identified a number of elderly detainees who may qualify for early release as new coronavirus infections rose even among detained suspects.

“The BJMP has noted that out of 3,384 elderly persons deprived of liberty who are 60 years old and above and charged with light offenses or those punishable with arresto menor and arresto mayor, 1,927 have existing medical conditions and only 804 are nonrecidivists who may qualify for the proposed early release,” President Rodrigo Duterte said in his fifth weekly report to Congress on Monday.

The BJMP earlier declared a total lockdown of its 468 supervised jail facilities after nine BJMP personnel and nine detainees tested positive for COVID-19 last week.

The President reported that the BJMP has identified 222 isolation areas and established four regional isolation centers for COVID-19 cases.

“All probable and confirmed cases were either brought to COVID-19 isolation centers or hospitals for proper medication and health monitoring,” the report said.

Several groups have urged the government to temporarily release sick and elderly low-risk offenders who might be more vulnerable to contracting COVID-19 in severely-crowded jails in the country.

Meanwhile, Duterte said the Department of Justice had approved a Board of Pardons and Parole resolution simplifying requirements and procedures for processing applications for parole or executive clemency.

Executive clemency is given to those over 65 years old who served at least five years of their sentence, or those whose continued imprisonment is inimical to their health.

Last Friday, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) reported that a prisoner of the New Bilibid Prison who tested positive for COVID-19 had died.

A day later, the BuCor said 27 prisoners at the Correctional Institute for Women were COVID-19 positive and were transferred to Site Harry at the NBP.