Rappler's latest stories on jails
Arrested in 2019 crackdown, jailed activist gives birth in a pandemic
Ina Nasino, 23, pleads with the court to let her stay with her baby, either at the hospital or at a prison nursery, until at least the child is 6 months old
Hidden victims of the pandemic: The old man, the jail aide, and the convict
Three persons deprived of liberty describe how inhuman conditions in the country’s jails and prisons are placing them at greater risk amid the COVID-19 pandemic
745 prisoners, 125 personnel in Philippine jails test positive for coronavirus
Despite the rise, the Supreme Court is yet to act on a petition for a humanitarian mass release of prisoners
Hundreds more Taliban prisoners freed on last day of Afghan truce
Afghanistan authorities say they released about 900 Taliban prisoners across the country, approximately 600 of them from the notorious Bagram jail near Kabul
517 prisoners in BJMP facilities positive for coronavirus
Cebu City Jail is among the worst–hit prison facilities
LOOK: In Batangas, isolation facility for inmates is outside prison
There are 20 rooms for male prisoners and 20 rooms for female prisoners
South Korea prosecutors demand 35-year jail term for ex-leader Park
Park Geun-hye, the country's first female president, is being retried in the High Court on the bribery, abuse of power and spy agency charges
Coronavirus Updates: Infections creep into Cebu’s jails
According to the Department of Health, the number of coronavirus cases in Cebu City Jail is at 335. There are 25 cases at the Cebu Provincial Detention Center and 71 at the Mandaue City Jail.
Jailed Saudi princess fears coronavirus risk in prison
Princess Basmah bint Saud, a 56-year-old royal family member long seen as a proponent of women's rights and a constitutional monarchy, mysteriously disappears from public life in March last year
Supreme Court can't think 'far out the box' in releasing prisoners – Leonen
'That would mean we will be ourselves be the first to violating certain constitutional rights if we do so,' says Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen
[OPINION] What PH jails should do to deal with the coronavirus
In order to help deal with COVID-19 in the Philippine correctional system, the authors identify 4 key areas that must be properly addressed by the Bureau of Corrections and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology
TIMELINE: The bid to release low-risk, sick, elderly prisoners in PH
Time is running out as the government decides whether or not to release eligible persons deprived of liberty, given the pandemic
4 recoveries of 229 jail coronavirus cases all personnel – BJMP
Aside from the Quezon City Jail, personnel from Caloocan, Marikina, Pasay and Mandaluyong jails also test positive
What you need to know about the Cebu City Jail
With a congestion rate of 1,000%, the facility has the most coronavirus infections out of any jail in the country
'Congestion not reason:' Calida blocks petition to release vulnerable prisoners
There are 241 coronavirus patients in prisons nationwide, and one of them – a Bilibid inmate – has died
9 coronavirus-stricken Quezon City Jail inmates show 'positive progress'
The 9 jail personnel who also contracted the coronavirus are 'receiving proper medical attention,' adds the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology
Elderly correctional inmate tests positive for coronavirus
(UPDATED) The female inmate is 72 years old, has pneumonia and has been transferred to the Sta Ana Hospital in Manila
With GCTA suspended, low-risk convicts stranded in BJMP facilities
This means that low-risk convicts, who are clearly convicted of non-heinous crimes, cannot avail of early freedoms even as the pandemic threatens Philippine jails
'Takot na takot kami': While government stalls, coronavirus breaks into PH jails
Like the prisoners, their families also feel trapped with nowhere to go. Their fear is compounded by the agonizing wait for the Duterte government's action.
[PODCAST] Coronavirus: Bakit kailangang palayain ang mga low-risk, may sakit, elderly prisoners?
Ano ang hakbang na dapat gawin upang masiguradong maayos ang proseso kung ito'y matutuloy?
21 detainees in isolation, swabbed for coronavirus – BJMP
The 21 detainees are not exhibiting symptoms but came in contact with a detainee whose death is suspected to be related to the coronavirus
BJMP supports temporary release of prisoners, but only by court order
The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology backs jail decongestion as an 'effective response' to the coronavirus pandemic, but says it cannot release prisoners without a court order
Philippine jails are a COVID-19 time bomb
Some 4,000 quarantine and curfew violators are detained in police lockups and are awaiting transfer to city jails
BJMP builds coronavirus isolation facility
The move comes after a former prisoner died of acute heart ailment and with suspected coronavirus infection
BJMP: Risk of repeat offenses an issue vs prisoners' release amid pandemic
'One of the issues here is actually on how to present strong evidence to convince the court that those who will be released…will not endanger the public,' says Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Spokesperson Xavier Solda
KAPATID calls for mass testing of prisoners in congested facilities
KAPATID spokesperson Fides Lim says it 'stretches the imagination' how congested prison system like the Philippines can be kept 100% safe when basic hygiene essentials are lacking
KAPATID appeals for release of low-level offenders, elderly, sick prisoners amid coronavirus outbreak
'This is not only an urgent matter of life and death but also of justice,' KAPATID spokesperson Fides Lim writes in an open letter to the Duterte administration
Metro Manila jail visits suspended indefinitely amid coronavirus outbreak
Thousands of inmates cannot be visited by family and friends amid the novel coronavirus outbreak
Dozens of shabu sachets, drug kits seized in Cebu City Jail
'The drugs we seized here only shows that we really have a problem,' says Cebu City Jail Superintendent Julius Arro
Batangas City Jail now 342% congested as inmates move in to flee erupting Taal
Lemery prisoners are safe inside the Batangas City Jail, but they worry about their relatives staying in evacuation centers within the province
DOJ probes Bantag's booting out BuCor staff for favored BJMP aides
'Wala pa kaming definitive action as to whether ibabalik ba namin 'yung mga inalis nya or hayaan lang namin,' says Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra
PH soon to have single online portal for prisoner, criminal data
But agencies are yet to digitize their data that will be uploaded to the newly-launched National Justice Information System (NJIS)
WATCH: San Juan inmates join the 'Tala' dance challenge
The inmates show off their own 'Tala' dance moves in a Facebook video
WATCH: How PH's best jail officers improve life in prison
In overcrowded jails, these officers make their inmates' problems their own
HIV an emerging concern in Central Visayas jails – BJMP
'The estimated global HIV prevalence among prisoners is 3%, in some settings the HIV prevalence in prisons is 15 times higher than in the general population,' says the World Health Organization
PDEA agents arrest sons of Misamis Oriental provincial jail warden
PDEA Northern Mindanao chief Wilkins Villanueva accuses jail warden Dominador Tagarda of 'protecting' his 2 sons accused of being drug pushers
[OPINION] Why am I not in favor of restorative justice
'Let the punishment fit the crime. For this reason, I think that the death penalty should be restored, particularly for heinous crimes,' says Albert Lesaca
Cebu’s dancing inmates featured in upcoming Netflix docu ‘Happy Jail’
A new documentary by Filipino American filmmaker Michele Josue explores life inside the world-famous Cebu Detention and Rehabilitation Center
Man killed in Mandaue City jail shot by fellow inmate, says police chief
Police officials clarify that the inmate was shot and not stabbed as earlier reported
Inmate killed inside Mandaue City prison
The victim is allegedly linked to suspected drug lord Steve Go, who was killed inside the same prison in 2018
8 inmates escape from Lamitan jail in Basilan
The inmates are jailed for murder and violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act
Romania's ruling party strongman begins jail sentence
The verdict will almost certainly remove from public life a man who was widely seen as the puppet master behind the Social Democrats and the government they lead
Kapampangan inmates helped make this Binibining Pilipinas candidate's national costume
Emma Tiglao's costume 'Fe Esperanza Caridad' by Richie Sabinian is made with the help of the inmates from the Angeles City Jail
Cops, fire, jail personnel on full alert for Holy Week 2019
'Criminals do not rest, so the DILG and its attached agencies must not rest as well,' says DILG Secretary Eduardo Año, who has raised the alert status of the agencies
Drug test surprises BJMP officials on new jail chief's first day
BJMP officials undergo on-the-spot drug test on Day 1 of their new officer-in-charge Allan Iral, who used to head the Davao City Jail
Former Davao City Jail warden is PH's new jail chief
New BJMP officer-in-charge Allan Iral worked with President Rodrigo Duterte when he was mayor of Davao City
Four inmates die in police jail raid in Davao City
Reports that certain personnel of the BJMP were in cahoots with some inmates in the illegal drugs trade inside the jail triggered the Oplan Galugad at dawn, says the Davao City police spokesperson
UK gov't mulls limiting jail sentences of 6 months or less
'The public are safer if we have a good community sentence... and it will relieve a lot of pressure on prisons,' says British prisons minister Rory Stewart
1 dead as fire strikes Antipolo City Jail
(3RD UPDATE) At least 13 inmates are injured in the fire
At least 251 journalists jailed globally – CPJ
'The terrible global assault on journalists that has intensified in the past few years shows no sign of abating,' says Committee to Protect Journalists Executive Director Joel Simon
