THE Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Davao City reported that jails are being improved but this does not mean that death of inmates can already be prevented as just last September 9, 2018, an inmate at the Davao City Jail in Barangay Ma-a, Talomo District died due to cardiac arrest.
“Actually, there are things that we cannot control, especially because of our facilities. That is why our facilities now are being improved,” Jail Inspector Edo Lobenia, said during the Armed Forces of the Philippines- Philippine National Police (AFP-PNP) Press Corps 11 press conference on Wednesday, September 12.
“What happened was, yung inmate ay biglang inatake, sumikip ang dibdib. These things are prevalent in jail facilities, these things do not only happen in Davao City but in the entire country,” Lobenia added.
He further said that there are now constructions of jail going on in Maa District as a measure taken by the BJMP to address the concern on health of inmates.
“We have a memorandum of agreement, from time to time we talked with the Department of Health (DOH) 11 wherein they have launched a program called Last Mile,” Lobenia said.
The Last Mile Program was jointly organized by the City Government of Davao, BJMP and the DOH 11 to conduct seminars and lectures about communicable diseases and offer health services to inmates.
“We are trying really to combat communicable diseases,” Lobenia said.