The Supreme Court on Saturday (May 2) said, almost 10,000 prison inmates have been released in the Philippines to prevent further transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the country's overcrowded jails.
Associate Supreme Court Justice Mario Victor Leonen stated that the move follows an order to lower court to release detainees awaiting for trial because they could not afford bail.
"The court is very much aware of the congested situation in our prisons," Leonen informed the reporters as he announced the release of 9,731 detainees.
According to the high court, 2,082 of the 9,731 inmates who have been freed from March 17 to April 29, were from Manila, 4,657 portion came from other areas of Luzon, 1,072 from Visayas and 1,920 from Mindanao.
COVID-19 cases have already been reported on some of the country's overcrowded jails and as of the moment, there were three inmates who have died due to the disease.
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