MANILA, Philippines – Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Tuesday said he only granted hospital referral passes to prisoners with extreme health concerns and implemented strict guidelines when high-profile inmates sought permission to be transferred to the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) infirmary during his stint as the director-general of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).
It was earlier alleged in a Senate hearing on the controversial good conduct time allowance law that a number of NBP inmates would feign sickness to secure a hospital referral pass or stay for prolonged periods at the prison infirmary.
Dela Rosa admitted that he also obtained information on the alleged “hospital-referral-pass-for-sale” racket at the NBP where maximum security facility inmates would ask to be transferred to the infirmary and allegedly conducted illegal transactions and activities.
Dela Rosa said he countered it by ordering the hospital officials to treat high-profile inmates housed in Building 14 in their cells instead.
“Kapag mayroon dyan taga Building 14 na papupuntahin sa hospital, pinapatawag ko kaagad yung chief ng hospital ‘bakit nandyan na naman yan?’ ‘Yung medical record, tinitingnan ko. O sige, kung ganito problema niya, ibalik mo yan sa Building 14, alagaan mo doon’,” Dela Rosa said in an interview on ABS CBN News Channel.
Dela Rosa said he only granted the transfer to hospitals outside the prison facility to inmates requiring medical attention and services not available at the NBP hospital.
“Hindi ko maalala kung how many pero alam ko mayroon akong pinayagan in very extreme cases lang. For example, ‘yong mga kailangan ng dialysis so wala kaming ganoon sa loob so nire-refer sa hospital sa labas,” Dela Rosa said.
He revealed that he also requested the authority to approve hospital passes in extreme cases, instead of waiting for the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) approval.
“Mamamatay na ‘yung pasyente, maghihintay ka pa ng DOJ para ma-approve ‘yung clearance na magpadala ka ng pasyente sa hospital, so kung busy pa sa DOJ, hindi ma-approve yan, kaya ni-request ko na ako na mag-approve in the interest of fairness,” he said.
Asked if he ever granted a hospital pass to rape and murder convict and former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez, Dela Rosa said he cannot remember.
He also said he was never offered bribes or gifts by inmates who wanted to be referred to hospital.
“Kung mayroong mag-offer ng ganyan (bribe o gift) sa akin, sobrang tapang naman ng tao na yan. Kilala nila ako na hindi ko palalampasin yan, kaya I admire his bravery kung sino man siya,” Dela Rosa said.
Dela Rosa served as BuCor chief from April to October 2018 and was elected senator in May 2019./gsg