Government urged to vaccinate PDLs in congested detention facilities
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights on Sunday called attention to the condition of persons deprived of liberty, PDLs, and their need for COVID-19 vaccination, including the welfare of personnel managing jails and other detention facilities.
In a statement, lawyer Jacqueline de Guia, CHR spokesperson, stressed the importance and obligation of the government to treat all PDLs with humans with inherent dignity and rights, including their right to health.
"While we note that, during the early days of the pandemic, several government agencies [have] already looked into ways of managing and decongesting jails and detention facilities, the evolving threats of the pandemic necessitates revising strategies in managing the effects of COVID-19," De Guia said.
To recall, the Bureau of Jail Management of Penology reported a 450% congestion rate in the country's jails in 2019.
As of August 2021, the Bureau of Corrections reported that only 474, all senior citizens, out of 48,000 PDLs in seven prison facilities under BuCor across the country have been vaccinated against the pathogen.
Two hundred PDLs were vaccinated at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City; 214 at the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City, and 60 at the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Davao del Norte.
However, not one of the inmates in the national penitentiary, New Bilibid Prison, has received jabs against the coronavirus, according to the Bureau of Corrections.
RELATED: Pandemic locks PDLs' families out of prisons
Earlier in June, Kapatid, a group representing the families of political prisoners decried the death of Jesus Alegre, a 75-year-old political prisoner from Negros Occidental who was critically ill at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.
Some two to three prisoners die in detention each day on average, Kapatid said citing figures from the Department of Justice which supervises Bureau of Corrections jails.
"CHR recalls that under Mandela Rules, all PDLs must enjoy health care with similar standards to those available in the community and should have access to necessary health-care services free of charge and without discrimination."
"We caution that neglect of this duty may result in cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment, which goes against the country’s commitment to the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment."
The commission in its statement said that PDLs and prison personnel remain dependent on local governments where prison facilities are situated as it lauded local governments for initiatives in vaccinating PDLs.
To date, health authorities have recorded 1.9 million coronavirus infections in the country, 142,531 of whom are still classified as active cases.
— with a report from Kristine Joy Patag
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