Structures hiding criminal activity in NBP demolished

BuCor chief Director General Gerald Bantag (left) and NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar inspect tools used for demolition of shanties and illegal structures in National Bilibid Prison Maximum Compound in Muntinlupa City. /NCRPO PIO

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities on Wednesday, Oct. 9, demolished illegal structures within the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) Maximum Compound in Muntinlupa City which were believed to be repositories of contraband and hiding places for criminal activity.

At least 1,800 workers from law enforcement agencies and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) were sent to destroy the illegal buildings.

The military, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Bureau of Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology were part of the demolition team.

Police from different units of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) helped remove the shanties.

DPWH workers used backhoe, dump trucks, jack hammers, bulldozers and other equipment to dismantle the buildings.

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag and NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar on board a police tank during demolition of illegal structures in National Bilibid Prison Maximum Compound. /Bureau of Corrections

Gerald Bantag, new Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director, said dismantling the structures would stop their use for illegal activities by inmates.

“If we allow these kinds of structures, prisoners will use it as a hiding place for cell phones and other illegal items,” said Bantag, who took over BuCor amid an ongoing investigation by the Senate of massive corruption in the bureau.

Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, NCRPO chief, said coordination between police and BuCor would help in the anti-drug campaign as illegal drug transactions are rife inside the NBP.

“The drug problem persists because this is the nerve center, this is where it is being run,” said Eleazar. “Direction and control of drug transactions are made here so might as well help target the main source to solve this problem,” he said in Filipino.

The NBP Maximum Compound houses is 18,000 high-risk inmates, the BuCor said./TSB