Participants claimed that some of the punishments meted out were
outdated – they described a range of verbal, physical, and mentally intrusive
acts. These include battery, humiliation, intimidation, using foul language
against detainees, isolation, forcing detainees to clean or do rigorous
physical exercises such as hours of squatting, and worse, the cancellation
of GCTA and the deprivation of communication with family and peers that
lasts from a few weeks to several months. In some cases, inmates are
prohibited from participating in economic activities as punishment. In some
facilities, women receive threats of serving longer sentences. A number of
FGD participants agreed that detention staff may be harsher to political
detainees.
A participant from the Sorsogon BJMP District Jail described their
helplessness: “’Pag nagkasala kami pinapa-pumping, pull-ups, face-the-wall,
depende kung ilang oras, tapos bawal dalaw, bawal phone call, alam naman
nila na mahirap ang kalagayan namin dito, minsan po wala na kaming
magagawa kasi isa lang po kaming preso (When we make mistakes, they
would have us do squat thrusts, pull-ups, facing the wall, all depending on
how long they want us to. We would be prohibited from getting visits or
making phone calls despite them knowing how hard it is for us to be here.
We can’t do anything as we’re mere prisoners).”
Older women are usually exempted from physical punishments, although
PWDs are not. In some facilities, when one inmate is deemed deserving of
punishment, cellmates of this person receive the same sanctions.
Furthermore, stereotyped lesbian, bisexual, and transgender detainees
experience SOGIE-based discrimination. Those whose gender expressions
are masculine are automatically assigned tasks that require heavy lifting.
Lesbian, bisexual, and transgender inmates are also under stricter
regulations when it comes to socializing. In terms of marital visiting
privileges, partners of LBT detainees are not accorded these as they are not
considered as spouses; they can visit their incarcerated partners only on
days when friends are allowed to do so.
In several facilities, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women are
segregated from WDL perceived to be straight or heteronorm-adhering.
They are instead roomed with seniors and/or women with disabilities. In
some detention facilities like in Makati and in CARAGA, LBT women accept
the segregation, finding common interests and feeling more secure in
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