CALLS from so-called activists for the release of prisoners from Philippine jails and prisons have grown louder in recent weeks in response to reports of a growing number of cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) among “persons deprived of liberty.” The spread of the disease through the country’s overcrowded penal system is indeed a distressing development that demands immediate attention. But simply releasing prisoners is absolutely not the solution to the problem at hand.

As of now, there have been reports of Covid-19 infections in the Cebu City jail (which has the most, so far, at more than 200 cases among prisoners and employees), Mandaue City jail, Cebu Provincial prison, Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City and the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.