BJMP execs plan to ‘skip’ court hearings due to COVID-19

By Felipe V. Celino 

 

ROXAS CITY, Capiz — The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Region Office 6 is planning to skip in the meantime ‘court hearings at the Hall of Justice of Person Deprived of Liberty (PDL) of the BJMP-Roxas City after several jail personnel contracted the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

In a radio interview, Jail Senior Supt. Gilbert Peremne, assistant director for administration of BJMP-6, said that if the court hearings could not be suspended, they could resort to “tele-hearing system.”

But Peremne said “tele-hearing” at BJMP-Roxas is very hard because the internet connection is slow at the jail facility and there should be an arrangement between the court and the jail management.

The proposal was made as the male dormitory of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Brgy. San Jose here was locked down after seven of its personnel and inmates contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Jail Senior Inspector Dever Fantilaga, jail warden of BJMP-Roxas City, said four BJMP personnel and three Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) were infected.

But Fantilaga assured that the situation of the facility is still manageable as the BJMP personnel were taken to the Ligtas COVID Center in Dumalag, Capiz while the three PDL’s were moved to a quarantine facility of the city government at Hortus Botanicus in Barangay Milibili here.

 

As part of the health protocol to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the activities of the jail were suspended, including the visits to the inmates.

Fantilaga said he does not believe that the virus came from the BJMP personnel because they strictly implemented the health protocol.

Before the jail personnel go home or return to work, they undergo quarantine and swab test to ensure that they are free from the virus.

The BJMP-Roxas City has 252 PDLs, wherein 60 underwent swab test and the results have yet to be released.