DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio ordered a mandatory testing for coronavirus of all persons deprived of liberty (PDL) and the children in conflict with the law (CICL) before their admissions or release from jail or the rehabilitation centers.

Duterte-Carpio issued an Executive Order (EO) No. 37 series of 2020, released on Friday, June 19, wherein the city will be establishing a mechanism to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in jails and rehabilitation centers in the city.

According to the EO, the City Government prohibits the admission of Covid-19 positive PDL or CICL to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), the City Government-run rehabilitation centers-the Davao City Treatment and Rehabilitation (DCTRCDD), Bahay Pag-asa, Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY), Balay Sidlakan, and the Group Home for Girls.

Before the admission of the PDLs or CICLs, a certification from the Department of Health (DOH) or City Health Office (CHO) that they are Covid-free must be required.

If suspected to have Covid-19, they will be required to undergo a 14-day quarantine while those tested positive will be admitted to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC).

Upon their release, PDLs or CICLs positive of Covid-19 must be brought to SPMC.

Meanwhile, PDLs or CICLs admitted in jail or centers, who are probable cases of Covid-19 will be quarantined in their respective barangay isolation centers, while a non-Davao City resident PDL or CICL will be admitted to the quarantine facility of the City Government.

While waiting for the Covid-19 test result, the PDL will be quarantined in the the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) or Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) quarantine facility for newly-arrested PDL, while the CICL will be placed in the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), or Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) quarantine facility.

The EO also defined guidelines before the commitment of a PDL or a CICL to a detention facility.

Upon arrest, DCPO or PDEA shall immediately conduct the Covid-19 test of the PDL or CICL to any testing facility duly accredited by the DOH.

The issuance of the said EO came after reported Covid-19 transmission in some jails in the country.

The BJMP announced as of June 11, 745 prisoners and 125 personnel have already tested positive for the virus.

Among the 745 prisoners, 321 are active cases, 388 have recovered, and six have died.

Meanwhile, some 30 recovered prisoners have been released from the quarantine facility. Of the number, 60 are active cases, while 65 have recovered. There have been no deaths.

Cebu City Jail remains to be among the worst hit prison facilities.

Meanwhile, the BJMP-Davao said all jail facilities in Davao Region are still Covid-19 free.

BJMP-Davao spokesperson Jail Inspector Edo Lobenia said that stricter measures have been in place inside their jail facilities across the region to ensure the safety and protection of PDLs from respiratory disease. (with PR/SunStar Cebu/Juliet C. Revita)