BuCor suspends Bilibid visits due to COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) on Wednesday suspended visitation privileges at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa amid a spike in COVID cases.

A total of 52 inmates have tested positive for COVID, according to BuCor health and services director Ma. Cecilia Villanueva.

Villanueva said 577 prisoners underwent rapid antigen tests in the past two days. Of the figure, 52 inmates tested positive for the virus.

Villanueva said 30 of the prisoners manifested mild symptoms of COVID and 22 are asymptomatic.

Five NBP personnel at the medium security compound also contracted the virus, Villanueva said.

“We will conduct contact tracing to ensure that inmates and BuCor personnel are safe from the virus,” Villanueva said.

As a precautionary measure, BuCor chief Gregorio Catapang Jr. suspended visitations at the NBP as well as the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong.

Catapang said the visitation privileges would be suspended until May 21.

He also issued a memorandum requiring people entering the NBP and CIW to wear face masks and present their latest negative rapid antigen test results.