Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 22) — The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology said more isolation facilities were being built in different parts of the country where infected detainees could stay amid the COVID-19 crisis.
BJMP Spokespeson Xavier Solda made the statement at the Laging Handa briefing Wednesday.
Apart from the isolation facility in Quezon City, Solda said another one was readied in San Fernando, Pampanga and another in Quezon.
There were a total of 41 patients in the Quezon City facility, he added, who are continuously being monitored.
Apart from these facilities, Solda said psychologists were talking to the detainees or “persons deprived of liberty” as well as personnel helping them cope with the crisis.
Meanwhile, Muntinlupa City denounced the transfer of 18 coronavirus disease-positive inmates from the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong to the New Bilibid Prison.
City Public Information Officer Tez Navarro said the local government was not given a heads up on the transfer.
Bureau of Corrections Spokesperson Col. Gabriel Chaclag confirmed that detainees were transferred to Bilibid on Tuesday afternoon a few hours following the release of results. He pointed out the decision was made to contain the spread of the virus within the facility.
Speaking to CNN Philippines Wednesday, Solda said most of the patients were asymptomatic, while about three or four showed mild symptoms.
“BuCor director General Usec. Gerald Bantag decided yesterday to transfer them to these isolation area, quarantine area, here in Bilibid that we have identified weeks ago. We have prepared this area in support of our government initiative to look for more quarantine area. So nakita namin dito yung site na ito dito sa [So we saw the site here at the] National Bilibid Prison at ito naman po ay [and this is] very secure, far from residents and far from the prison cells,” he said.
Solda gave his assurance that residents of Muntinlupa would be very safe.
