CAGAYAN de Oro City Second District Representative Rufus Rodriguez over the weekend, urged the high court and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to allow the release of low-risk and vulnerable prisoners to prevent spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in jails in the country.
Rodriguez made the appeal after learning that nine inmates at the Quezon City Jail were tested positive for the deadly coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and are now isolated.
As vice-chairman of the House committee on justice, Rodriguez said he is supporting the recommendation of his committee for the release of low-risk detainees to prevent spread of the disease in all detention facilities.
“We all know that our jails are overcrowded. A small space good for one detainee is occupied by four or more prisoners. There is no social distancing to speak of in our detention facilities. A single infected detainee will surely spread the virus to others. It was a disaster waiting to happen, and it already happened in Quezon City,” Rodriguez said.
The Kagay-anon lawmaker said the Supreme Court (SC) and the DOJ will have to prepare the guidelines.
“The SC and DOJ will determine the guidelines. But they have to be released first as soon as possible,” he added.
Rodriguez said what happened at the Quezon City jail should immediately prompt the SC and DOJ to consider freeing detainees it deems as low risk and vulnerable to getting infected like those 60 years old and above.
“Based on our data, senior citizens and those with underlying medical conditions are the most vulnerable,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez, a former law dean, explained that the high court and DOJ could prescribe conditions under which detainees could be released and could be easily located and summoned to face their cases after the enhanced community quarantine is lifted.
He said the legal basis for the release is the constitutional provision that an offender is presumed innocent until proven guilty for those not yet finally convicted and for humanitarian reasons for those serving sentences after final judgment.