PLEASE HELP ME BAIL OUT MINIERVA FROM JAIL

Hi everyone!

I was imprisoned for two days for traffic and COVID pandemic related violations. And Minerva is among my cellmates in a super tiny temporary women detention cell located at the heart of Cebu City. There were seven of us in that cell on the first day and eight on the second day.

Our life in a detention center

Imagine how we fit sleeping in in a cell about the size of a small toilet. Anyway, imagine how it is in most detention centers in the Philippines. We would already appear too many while in a sitting position but imagine how we are on our sleeping positions. To fit (in the room) We had to sleep sideways and or we had to have our legs bended. Can we sleep? - well on the first night I slept for only 20 minutes and on the second night for only an hour.

See the picture of us enjoying some blessings from my friend. Inside we had to share even a slice of bread or a cup of coffee. I am blessed to have so many friends who would come bringing food not just for me but mostly for all us.

I have learned so much

I am blessed to have some resources and to have so many friends to help me on almost everything- moral, material, legal and all the kind of assistance that I had been needing. Because of it, I was able to get out of jail only after spending two unforgettable nights in that unforgettable detention cell. And I kept saying that I have learned so much from the whole ordeal.

I have learned about myself- and I am telling myself that I would really try to avoid offenses which could cause me to stay in a jail.

I have learned that inside—prisoners help/support each other, share each other’s stories and the feelings that go with it.

We cry when one cries and we laugh for whatever miniscule joke there is. We share food, water, give out some of our belongings etc. In short, we are like sisters and we have each other’s back.

Anyway on Minierva and others

Minierva is among the five women (inside the cell) who were caught selling drugs, yes drugs! Drugs are killing our children, yes! But you know all these five women (on picture behind me—caught of drug related offenses) have children too.. who are left behind with their families. But Minierva’s kids, according to her, are left with her neighbors.

While inside the jail, I have been talking to each of them and listened to their life stories, which are breaking my heart (even until now). One grew up as a street kid—whose mother killed herself when she was only 7 years old. One has their home in a cemetery, another in a squatter’s area.

Minierva needs to pay for the surety

Anyway, in short, these women are not from well off families but in fact from families who economic situations are at a bottom. Minierva’s case is like that of the other girl in the room—but that girl could post bail—thus get out as her family was able to collect the needed bail out money for her. But Minierva’s family do not have the resources to bail her out. In fact, the whole two days I spent in prison (with them), nobody came to visit her, while the rest have their families bringing them food, basic toiletries and small stuff.

Minierva needs 27,000 PHP to pay for the surety. It breaks my heart to think that a woman would spend her time inside prison and be away from her kids, for not having the needed 27,000 pesos ($540 US Dollars).

Please help me bail our Minierva from jail

I slept next to Minierva, have talked to her a lot have asked her if she wants to be out of jail and of course she said yes but she doesn’t have money. I said, I have some idea of what I can do but will you stop doing illegal activities when you are out—I saw she was crying and said yes maam.. I told her that I will try to raise money for her — Please help me bail our Minierva from jail.

If the money that will be raised won’t reach 27,000 (pesos) - the needed amount to pay Minierva’s surety, then we would use it to help Minierva’s two kids who are left with her neighbors.

Me (Rosalie Castro)– is the first person on the left, detained for two nights for traffic and COVID pandemic related offenses.

All the five women behind me were caught for illegal drug related offenses, all of them have kids who are left with their families, while that of Minierva’s are left with her neighbors. Imagine how it feels to be away from your kids. Please help me bail out Minierva from Jail.

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