COVID-19: Philippine Supreme Court Orders Release Of 9700 Prisoners After COVID-19 Infection

Philippine’s Supreme Court has ordered the release of about 9,700 prison inmates in overcrowded jails, following reports of covid-19 infections there.

“The court is very much aware of the congested situation in our prisons,” Justice Mario Victor Leonen said while announcing the release of 9731 inmates on Saturday.

Leonen said that the lower courts had been directed to release those undergoing trial but could not meet their bail conditions.

Striatstimes reports that covid-19 outbreaks have been reported at some of the country’s most overcrowded jails, affecting both inmates as well as corrections personnel.

The country has recorded about 8,928 covid-19 infections with 603 deaths and 1,124 recoveries, according to latest Worldometer figures.

Since the Coronavirus pandemic, the country’s Government has ordered a national curfew which has lasted about two months and is billed to end by May 15.