Guevarra: Despite COVID-19, deaths at BuCor 'not substantially higher' than in 2019MANILA, Philippines — Deaths among Bureau of Corrections inmates this year, amid a pandemic, is “not substantially higher” when compared to the previous year, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said. "We can say that it is not substantially higher than the daily average during the past year," Guevarra said, noting that the slight increase is due to COVID-19. Nine of them are deemed high-profile inmates, including convict Jaybee Sebastian, allegdly a drug lord inside the Bilibid and “star witness” in case against Sen. Leila de Lima. Doubts swirled around circumstances of the deaths of these high-profile inmates, prompting Guevarra to summon BuCor officials to his office on Monday. Guevarra, on Monday, also directed the National Bureau of Investigation to launch a full investigation into the deaths of the high-profile inmates, why senators pushed for a legislative inquiry into the matter.

Source: Philippine Star July 22, 2020 09:33 UTC