The Davao City Jail remains free from COVID-19 infection.
Jail Insp. Edo Lobenia, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology XI spokesperson, told TIMES that all persons deprived of liberty (PDL) in Davao Region are in good health.
“At present, our jails in the Davao Region are COVID-free,” Lobenia said.
Based on their record, the main Davao City Jail has a population of 2,105. The Davao City Jail Annex 439 inmates while the Davao City female jail has another 306, bringing the total to 4,615 in the region.
“We hope and pray that this status will remain as our country faces this pandemic,” he said. “We are expected to render the highest form of service in this time of public health emergency.”
He said they have been on lockdown since March 20. The personnel are also on self-quarantine and have not seen their families for about a month.
“We encourage and appeal to the public to stay at home in order to prevent the further spread of the virus,” he said.
The BJMP XI spokesman said they also enforced safety precautionary measures in compliance with the directive of the national headquarters and the Department of Health.
“Our regional doctor and nurses are constantly monitoring the health status of our PDL,” he said. “So far, our PDLs are in good condition. We are aware of the risk and vulnerability of our facilities of this highly infectious disease,” he further said.
Last Friday, nine detainees and nine prison employees at the Quezon City jail tested positive for coronavirus disease, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology said.
On March 25, the BJMP said an inmate in Quezon City jail died of suspected COVID-19. The nine detainees who tested positive for the contagious respiratory disease have no known exposure to the suspected case.
