Quarantine, swab tests for to-be released inmates in Cebu Province

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Amid jails being hounded by the threat of the coronavirus disease, inmates who are bound for release are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine and be tested for the viral infection before they would be allowed to go home to their respective hometowns.

The release of the inmates from the jail is pursuant to the 2014 jail decongestion guidelines, which qualifies for release of persons deprived of liberty who have served the minimum imposable penalty for their cases and those whose cases are already provisionally dismissed.

Last April 20, the Office of the Court Administrator of the Supreme Court directed the first and second level court judges to conduct an inventory of their pending cases and determine if there are those qualified to be covered by the decongestion guidelines.

“They shall immediately act motu proprio on cases of PDLs who have been detained for a period at least equal to the minimum of the penalty for the offense charged, and if warranted, may release such detainees on their recognizance provided the court is assured of where the accused can be located while their cases are on-going trial,” the circular signed by Court Administraor Midas Marquez reads.

On Thursday, April 30, 2020, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia issued Executive Order no. 15, which sets the protocols for the release of the inmates.

For those detained in Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, Garcia said the PDL due for release should be transferred to the CPDRC quarantine area upon receipt of the release order from the court, where he will stay for 14 days.

On the seventh day of the quarantine, swab samples will be taken from the quarantined PDL for COVID-19 testing.

Additional quarantine days

If found negative, the inmate will proceed with the remaining days of the quarantined, wait for a certification of the Provincial Health Office declaring that he completed the quarantine period.

The PHO will also coordinate with the local authorities in the PDL’s town or city of residence to arrange his transportation in going home.

The PDL, upon arriving at his town of residence, may be subjected to more days of quarantine again and other precautionary protocols that may be set by the local officials.

Those quarantined inmates who will test positive for COVID-19, on the other hand, shall be transferred to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for treatment.

To-be released inmates detained in other jails in Cebu, whose residences are in Cebu province, will follow the same protocol.

“All release orders of the court should specifically state that the release of the PDL is conditioned upon his compliance with the fourteen day quarantine requirement and such protocols prescribed by the province f the and the PDL’s LGU of residence,” the Executive Order reads.

Meanwhile, detainees in the provincial and BJMP-managed jails who are residents of Cebu City will be turned over to the city government.

Both the Cebu City Jail and the CPDRC already have confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Cebu City Jail has over 200 cases of COVID-19 while CPDRC has 18 cases. /bmjo