551 metro cops to augment security force inside Bilibid

Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, NCRPO chief. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines — The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) will deploy 551 personnel at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City to aid Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag in implementing reforms inside the national penitentiary.

NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said Friday that Bantag sought the assistance of the police as he seeks to cleanse NBP of crooked practices.

READ: BuCor chief to crooks: Get out

“We decided to provide the necessary augmentation na magagamit niya sa mga reforms na gagawin dito [that he can use for the reforms he will implement here],” Eleazar told reporters shortly after his meeting with Bantag to discuss assistance that the NCRPO can extend to BuCor, including addressing the drug trade inside Bilibid.

“We are providing at least 551 police personnel as augmentation habang ang kanyang plano ay palitan ‘yung mga personnel. ‘Yung ating augmentation naman [ay] pansamantala lamang habang nagsasagawa siya ng retraining at evaluation sa kanyang mga personnel,” said Eleazar.

(We are providing at least 551 police personnel as augmentation while he plans to replace his personnel. This augmentation is temporary and will be here as he conducts retraining and evaluation of his personnel.)

Currently, around 200 troopers from the Philippine National Police – Special Action Force are deployed in Bilibid, according to the NCRPO chief.

Upon his appointment as head of the agency, Bantag took note of the claim of Baguio City Mayor and former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director Benjamin Magalong Jr. that “all roads lead to Bilibid” when it comes to illegal drugs.

“If this is true, then this is not just a disgrace to ourselves, but [also] to our uniform and mandate that the public entrusted to us,” he earlier said. /jpv