De Lima files bill for protection of pregnant, nursing PDLs and their children

A bill seeking reforms for the protection of women and their newborns in detention and prison facilities has been filed in the Senate.

Senator Leila De Lima, detained in Camp Crame, filed Senate Bill No. 1926 which sets a protocol that should be followed when a baby is born by a person deprived of liberty (PDL).

“Children who are born to mothers deprived of liberty while they await trial or while serving their sentence, are born without sin – they should not thus be made to bear the wrath and cruelty of this world,” the senator said in a statement.

Pregnant PDLs should have access to timely and appropriate prenatal and postpartum care.

"There shall be established in all penal and detention facilities special accommodation for all necessary pre-natal and post-natal care and treatment which must be prepared to handle the prevalence of high-risk pregnancies among incarcerated women," De Lima's bill read.

It added that all infants born to women PDLs shall remain with their mothers for the first twelve months after birth, unless prohibited by health reasons.

Milk and food for babies and child-specific healthcare services should be provided to these children while they are allowed to remain in detention facilities or prison with their mothers.

"Decisions as to when a child is to be separated from his/her mother after the 12 months from birth, shall be based on individual assessments and the best interest of the child," the bill read.

The senator cited the case of detained activist Reina Mae Nasino and her baby River who had been separated a month after the latter was born.

Baby River died at three months old due to  Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

De Lima said non-custodial sentences for pregnant women and women with dependent children shall be preferred "when possible and appropriate."

Custodial sentences for them shall only be considered when the offense is serious or heinous in nature.—LDF, GMA News