The Zamboanga City Jail (ZCJ) is now prepared to open the face to face jail visitation if it will be permitted by their higher office.
SJO2 Rey Laurence Comprendio, ZCJ Information Officer, said they already identified the motorpool area near the gate as visitation area with the necessary protection such as barriers and they have the Oplan Balik Dalaw.
However, if the face to face “dalaw” will be allowed it will be dependent the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology higher office and the Local Interagency Task Force on Coronavirus Disease 2019. Aside from this they will have to wait for the needed guidelines.
The city is also under alert level 1 for Covid 19, the lowest alert level for Covid 19.
He said, in case this will happen, triage will be done outside such as temperature check and health screening prior to the entry inside the jail facility, no children will be allowed, and both visitor and the PDL must be vaccinated.
Recall, last March 15, 2020 jail visitation was temporarily suspended due to the pandemic. What was allowed was the sending of food and other items intended for the PDLs and the Electronic Dalaw or (E-Dalaw).
The supposed schedule of visitation is from Tuesday to Friday 11am to 4pm while for Saturday and Sunday whole day. Monday is dedicated for cell cleaning and activities of the PDLs.
ZCJ receives more or less 500 visitors a day. ZCJ is one of the 20 jails under BJMP region 9 which other includes: Basilan City Jail, Zamboanga City Jail, Zamboanga City Jail Female Dormitory, Ipil District Jail, Ipil Female Dormitory, Kabasalan Municipal Jail, Pagadian City Jail, Pagadian Female Dormitory, Molave Municipal Jail, Ramon Magsaysay Municipal Jail, Mahayag Municipal Jail, Duminag Municipal Jail, Tambulig Municipal Jail, Dipolog City Jail, Dipolog Female Dormitory, Dapitan City Jail, Sindangan District Jail, Salug District Jail, Liloy Municipal Jail, and Siocon Municipal Jail.
In ZCJ alone, there are 2,800 male PDL’s.