QC Jail gets bus from EU to transport possible COVID-19 patients

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City Jail received a bus unit worth P5.6 million from the European Union (EU), which the jail facility can use to transport persons deprived of liberty (PDL) who contracted the coronavirus disease to their designated quarantine facilities.

In a statement on Thursday, the EU said that they have also provided an additional P400,000 worth of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Philippine National Police, organizations in the Department of Justice including media organizations covering the beat, through its Governance in Justice programme (GoJust).

“The assistance package reaffirms the European Unions commitment to enable the justice sector to address the needs of the court and penitentiary systems, especially during this pandemic,” European Delegation cooperation head Counsellor Enrico Strampelli.

The EU’s donation seeks to help contain the spread of the virus in jails where social distancing and other protocols are hard to attain due to high congestion rates.

Back in June, the Bureau of Jail and Management Penology (BJMP) reported that more than 700 inmates and 125 jail personnel have already contracted the coronavirus in different penal facilities across the country.

Then early July, the BJMP released more than 15,000 PDLs to decongest jails in an effort to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks.

This is not the first time GoJust made a donation for the country’s COVID-19 response.  Back in June, BJMP and the justice sector also got P10 million worth of aid such as PPEs and gadgets that may be used by inmates affected by the no-visit policy. Jim Mendoza, trainee

JPV