INQUIRER.net FILE
MANILA, Philippines — Drug smuggling has reached another and “alarming” level in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), said Bureau of Corrections Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr., adding that methamphetamine, or “shabu,” is now being smuggled into the facility using condoms and pigeons as carriers.
Catapang disclosed the stunning way of smuggling in a Thursday public hearing headed by the Senate Committee on justice and human rights.
“What the inmates are doing now is [they are instructing their visitors] to hide shabu in condoms,” said Catapang in Filipino.
“Ito po ay nilalagay sa pwerta ng babae [ng mga bisita]. Hindi naman po namin pwedeng kapkapan ang mga babae at makakasuhan naman po kami doon,” he added.
(It will then be placed on a woman visitor’s butt. But of course, we cannot conduct body searches on women visitors because we will be charged if we do that.)
Inmates’ inventive tactics, however, do not stop there. Catapang said addicted inmates will go to extreme lengths, such as growing pigeons to obtain shabu.
“Ang pinaka latest po ngayon ay ang mga kalapati – ang mga bata o bisita nila ay may dalang itlog. I-incubate [ito] doon and after so many months ay mapipisa. Palalakihin ito at tuturuan ang mga kalapati na maglipad lipad sa paikot. Pagdating ng mga bisita ay ibibigay ang kalapati at matututo na bumalik sa kanilang pugad,” said Catapang, explaining that pigeons are being used to transport shabu into the facility.
(The latest thing now is the pigeons – their children or guests bring eggs. Inmates will then incubate [it] there, and after so many months, it will hatch. They will then teach the pigeons to fly in circles within the prison. When the guests arrive, the pigeon will be given and taught to return to their nest.)
Catapang unveiled all these to justify why drug smuggling remains in NBP. He then stressed that they need high-end equipment to combat these illegal activities.
“Hindi pa rin shabu o drug-free ang Bilibid. Masasabi ko pong totoo na hindi pa po. Kaya talaga kailangan namin ang mga gamit na may kamahalan,” he said.
(Bilibid is still not shabu or drug-free. That’s why we need high-end equipment.)