Divulge data: DOJ, DILG urged to share plans on vaccinating inmates

The Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) have both been asked to make public their vaccination plans for persons deprived of liberty (PDL) against the COVID-19 virus.

Political prisoners support group Kapatid spokesperson Fides Lim said in a statement that this was sought by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in a letter dated Sept. 9 addressed to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Chief Allan Iral.

“We would highly appreciate if we can be provided with relevant data on the plan for the vaccination against COVID-19 for persons deprived of liberty (PDL) including the road map, target dates and PDL populations for the vaccination program, and numbers of PDL already vaccinated, if any, among others,“ read the CHR letter.

“We hope to get an update on this matter even if this is not yet a national news concern. It would be better to be proactive in this and act sooner than later,” added the CHR.

Meanwhile, Lim expressed thanks to the CHR for raising this concern before the DOJ, DILG, BuCor and BJMP.

“Make the vaccine available to all. Please directly allocate vaccine doses to jails now, which are reservoirs of disease because of unaddressed worsening congestion. No one should be left behind in the drive to secure the health and safety of everyone as our lives are all linked together during this pandemic. One sick person can infect the healthy. No immunization program can succeed by serving the many but ignoring others,“ Lim stated.

The spokesperson also expressed gratitude to the local government units (LGUs) “that have extended COVID-19 immunization to PDLs in their localities.”

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)