(Eagle News Service) — Justice Secretary Leila de Lima asked officials of the New Bilibid Prisons, including the commander of the jailguards in NBP’s maximum security compound, to explain how the drug inmates had managed to live luxuriously while inside the prison compound.
De Lima asked NBP head Superintendent Franklin Bucayu for the list of all the assigned officers in the NBP’s maximum security compound, to determine who should be blamed for the illegal activities happening inside the NBP.
“I am going to issue to all of them a show-cause order. I will determine kung sinu-sino ang icha-charge formally. (I will determine who should be charged formally)” De Lima said.
In a surprise inspection at dawn of December 15, De Lima found evidence of luxurious living inside the NBP’s maximum security compound. The cells of high-profile inmates and druglords even had a sauna, jacuzzi, wide-screen television sets, split-type aircon units, wifi, and even an ultra-modern music studio. They even had several appliances, expensive wine, watches, whitening creams and even lots of cash. One had as much as P1.4 million inside his “kubol” or cell.
Firearms were also found in their cells.
The 19 drug inmates transferred from NBP to the NBI headquarters are Eugene Chua, Sam Li Chua, Vicente Sy, George Sy, Tony Co, Joel Capones, Herbert Colangco, Peter Co, Imam Boratong, Clarence Domingo, Tom Chua, Rommel Capones, Jojo Baligad, Willy Chua, Michael Ong, Jacky King, Willy Sy, Noel Martinez and Dona Agojo.
Supt. Celso Bravo, NBP spokesman, said all 19 inmates left the NBP around 11:30 a.m., on Monday, Dec. 15, escorted by authorities.
“Based on our study, their removal from the NBP would validate the combined reports of anti-illegal drugs agency that the inmates control the narcotics industry in the country,” De Lima said.
The justice secretary said the inmates would be stripped of communication tools and their visiting privileges suspended.
De Lima also said that the money found inside the cells of the drug inmates should not be returned.
All of the drug inmates were awash with cash inside their cells.
De Lima said the drug inmates, and all the others jailed inside the NBP, should not be holding such big amounts of cash.
She said she also gave instructions to Supt. Bucayu and to National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Virgilio Mendez not to allow drug inmates to have money and cellphones inside the NBP.
“I made that instruction to Director General Bucayu and to Director Mendez as currently the custodians of those drug inmates. Wala dapat humahawak ng pera at cellphones. Absolutely, kahit isang cellphone diyan makalusot, that would be literally unacceptable,” De Lima stressed.
The justice chief had already ordered the the removal of the “condominium-like rooms” of the 19 drug inmates inside the NBP. The 19 inmates were transferred to the NBI main headquarters on Monday, December 15.
Director Bucayu said that these cells would be returned to their original simple form.
All the dormitories inside the NBP would also be cleaned. Supt. Bucayu also said that the system of accepting visitors would be reviewed.
As of now, he said the records of inmates inside NBP are already computerized.
De Lima had a post-assessment meeting with Bucayu and Mendez on Tuesday, December 16.
The Department of Justice will submit a formal report on the raid conducted at the NBP to President Aquino.
The President has been alarmed with what had been discovered inside the NBP. (with a report from Juliet Caranguian, Eagle News)