Ordinance author Councilor Al Victor Espino, who is the chairperson of the City Council committee on police matters, said that prisons and jails produce or reinforce a host of problems which are hygiene-related and even infectious diseases.
It is the reason why there is a need for mandatory testing of PDLs against Covid-19 to ensure the health and safety of the city residents, Espino said.
He said that PDLs should also undergo Covid-19 screening before they are released from these facilities.
Espino added that the Covid-19 testing, which will be conducted by the City Health Office, will be in addition to the medical examination requirement by the City Police Station before the PDLs are turned-over to jail facilities.
While the PDL is waiting for his/her Covid-19 test result, he/she shall be detained at the detention facility designated by the police station, the councilor stressed.
Under the ordinance, a PDL found positive for the Covid-19 shall be placed in the designated quarantine facility inside the city jail for isolation and treatment.
“Only when he/she is cleared by the city’s health office should he/she be permitted to be committed and enter the designated detention cells for PDL who have tested negative for Covid-19,” the ordinance stressed.