MANILAbyu777, Philippines — A support organization for families of political prisoners has asked the Supreme Court (SC) to hasten the promulgation of the writ of kalayaan as a Christmas gift to and to affirm the rights and dignity of prisoners.

The writ of kalayaan provides an extraordinary legal remedy, which prisoners may invoke when an extreme need for relief arises, especially from the congestion in the country’s prison system.

In a letter addressed to Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, the group Kapatid cited what it described as ”deplorable” conditions in Philippine jails, which the group said is tantamount to a “cruel and unusual punishment.”

“We urge the High Court to visit jails to see the depressing conditions, and talk to us families of persons deprived of liberty,” Kapatid said in a letter to the high tribunal.

Citing data from the Bureau of Corrections in 2022, the group said three to four prisoners die in jails every day and eight of 757 political detainees have died in just two years under the Marcos administration.

Kapatid asked for a review of the procedures in addressing medical emergencies, which require even severely ill prisoners to first file a motion in court before they can be transferred to a hospital of their preference rather than to the nearest government hospital.

The group appealed to the high tribunal to consider non-custodial arrangements for the elderly and gravely ill prisoners.byu777

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