Being jailed at the maximum security compound of New Bilibid Prison apparently comes with maximum privileges. Where else, for example, can you find cells that are “Wi-Fi ready” and stocked with bottles of Johnnie Walker?
An incensed Justice Secretary Leila de Lima took note of this Wednesday following a surprise inspection of the country’s main penal facility in Muntinlupa City. The secretary earlier ordered top NBP officials relieved of their posts over last week’s grenade attack inside the compound that wounded six inmates, an incident traced to a prison gang war.
While it’s no longer secret that some high-profile or well-connected Bilibid inmates get to enjoy VIP lifestyles, De Lima’s latest findings practically raised the bar for luxury behind bars: Some cells now are not only air conditioned but also come with Internet service and mobile phones and are stocked with liquor and illegal drugs.
In a statement, De Lima said she was “dismayed and angry at the state of affairs at the maximum security compound” following Monday’s inspection, the second she had ordered after the November 16 grenade blast.
Old weapons, cheap phones
De Lima noted that in the first inspection conducted immediately after the explosion, only “old improvised weapons and equally old and cheap phones” were presented by prison officials led by NBP Chief Superintendent Ramon Reyes.
“One can only suspect of a systematic culture of corruption pervading in the compound,” she said.
De Lima cited a report on the second inspection prepared by NBI prison guard III Eugene Dr. Ciruela, which listed down the items found in Dormitories 2-B and 9-D2 of the maximum security compound.
According to the report, four inmates were found to be keeping a total of 12 high-end mobile phones, Apple and Samsung Galaxy chargers, battery and signal enhancers, local area network (LAN) cables, several Universal Serial Bus (USB) broadband units, several subscriber identity module (SIM) and Secure Digital (SD) cards, Wi-Fi routers, and a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera.
The inmates also yielded improvised weapons and drug paraphernalia.
The cell of convict Hans Anton Tan yielded eight phones (including an Apple iPhone 4S and Nokia models), an Apple iPad and a Samsung Galaxy Tab, a mobile intercom, and a Wi-Fi USB broadband, among others.
Drug convict Zheng Wu produced a half-empty bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label Scotch whisky, while another convict, Jaybee Nino Sebastian, had Johnnie Walker Black Label and Royal Salute in his liquor stash.
Sebastian also had P55,620 in cash kept in his cell.
Wu Tuan Yuan had a CCTV camera and a split-type air-conditioning unit in his cell—plus several notebooks with “numerical annotations,” according to the report reaching De Lima.
Citing these findings by Ciruela, De Lima on Wednesday ordered Reyes to explain why no administrative charges should be filed against him.
Show-cause orders were also issued to Supt. Roberto Rabo, chief overseer Francisco Satorre and commander of the guards Robert Mandap—all formerly assigned at the maximum security compound.
Reyes was asked to explain in writing within 72 hours why he should not be formally charged for grave neglect of duties and conduct prejudicial to the service following last week’s grenade explosion.
“You are also caused to explain why during the conduct of a surprise raid in the maximum security compound last November 16, you and your team were only able to present old, improvised weapons and equally old and cheap phones, which were in sharp contrast to the yield of prohibited items in another surprise raid conducted only three days later or last November 19,” De Lima said in her order to Reyes.
The justice secretary said she had also directed the newly designated officer in charge of the Bureau of Corrections to “constantly conduct raids, this time no-nonsense raids, to fish out any and all types of contraband” and impose disciplinary sanctions on inmates found to have these items.
The sanctions, she said, should extend to prison personnel found to be “in cahoots with the inmates.”
Aside from sacking top NBP officials, De Lima also ordered the reassignment of over 100 guards, saying they had been “compromised” by “powerful” drug convicts.