Bilibid drug trade prompts BuCor chief to resign

The New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa (File photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Chief Benjamin Delos Santos has resigned from his post, saying the resurgence of the drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) has made him irrelevant.

In a text message, Delos Santos said his irrevocable resignation submitted to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II was effective immediately.

“Issue about resurgence of drug trade has made me irrelevant. My irrevocable resignation effective immediately was filed thru SOJ,” Delos Santos said in a text message.

Recently, Aguirre said new leaders have emerged in attempting to resurrect the illegal drug trade inside prison.

Last year, President Rodrigo Duterte said 75 percent of illegal drugs transacted nationwide came from Bilibid.

Aguirre said the 75 percent has been neutralized but there were some inmates attempting to transact drugs again.

He said, this time, transactions originated from Bilibid’s medium security compound which was not under the control of the police’s Special Action Force.

Recently, Delos Santos said they have filed a case against a SAF member who faked a raid and stole P200,000 and a television set from a prison chapel.

Delos Santos is a lawyer, a retired police superintendent and a fraternity brother of Aguirre and Duterte.