CEBU CITY JAIL (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
CEBU CITY, Philippines – More penal facilities in Central Visayas have decided to suspend visiting privileges of their inmates, latest data from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Central Visayas (BJMP – 7) shows.
11 jails will implement the suspension of visitation starting today, Friday, March 13, 2020.
These are the Toledo City Jail (Female and Male Dormitories), Danao City Jail (Female and Male Dormitories), Dumaguete City Jail (Male Dormitory), Bais City Jail, Tanjay District Jail, Mabinay City Jail, Vallehermoso Municipal Jail, and Naga City Jail (Female and Male Dormitories).
The Canlaon District Jail, Bohol District Jail (Female and Male Dormitories), Minglanilla Municipal Jail, Mandaue City (Female Dormitory), Cebu City Jail (Female and Male Dormitories), and Siquijor District Jail will follow suit this Saturday, March 14, 2020.
Tagbilaran City Jail, on the other hand, will no longer allow visitors within their facility starting this Sunday, March 15, 2020.
On March 12, 2020, BJMP – 7 released an advisory, announcing the indefinite suspension of visiting rights to curb possible transmission of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“This is for the safety of the personnel, the persons deprived of liberty (PDL), the visitors and the public as a whole. We are appealing for your cooperation and understanding,” the advisory stated.
Read: Visiting rights of some C. Visayas jails suspended
Suspension of visiting privileges took effect last March 12, 2020, in Dumaguete City District Jail (Female Dormitory), Talisay City Female Dormitory Jail (Female Dormitory), Manjuyod District Jail, Carcar City Jail, and Talibon City Jail.
This brings the total number of jails that suspended visitation privileges to 27. There are 64 jails in Central Visayas.
COVID-19 which first emerged in Wuhan City in Hubei province, China has infected 52 individuals in the Philippines as of March 12, 2020.
The country has also recorded five deaths, the latest of which was confirmed on the evening of March 12, 2020. /bmjo