More prisoners freed amid health crisis

An additional 4,167 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) have been released from various detention facilities in the country in a move to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID19), Court Administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez said on Friday.

The release of PDLs either through bail or recognizance and determination of the service of the minimum penalty was done through court hearings via video conferencing, Marquez said.

Thus, as of May 22, a total of 22,522 PDLs have been released since various levels of community quarantine have been imposed nationwide last March 15 as a result of the declaration of a national health emergency, he said.

Earlier, Marquez said that most of the released PDLs were detained at the lockup cells of the Philippine National Police (PNP) at the start of the national health emergency and the imposition of quarantine in many places.

PDLs are persons charged in court with criminal offenses and violations of city and municipal ordinances and are detained while petitioning to post bail, attending hearings, and awaiting the decisions on their cases.

A total of 1,350 trial courts nationwide have been allowed by the Supreme Court (SC) to conduct hearings via video conferencing.

More than 3,200 hearings have been conducted so far, said

Marquez whose office supervises all lower courts in the country.

On top of video conferencing, filing of cases and pleadings online has been allowed by the Supreme Court (SC).

The list of courts that are allowed to hear cases via video conferencing and the contact numbers, e-mail addresses and Facebook accounts of courts nationwide may be viewed at the SC website – sc.judiciary.gov.ph.