BuCor official clears air on golf cart issue at NBP

MANILA, Philippines—An official of the Bureau of Corrections clarified that the golf carts and e-bikes discovered inside the New Bilibid Prison were being used for security patrolling and transportation services in the compound.

Superintendent Celso Bravo, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Office of the Assistant Director for Operations head, told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview that the golf carts were either used to transport inmates to the hospital during emergency situations or for patrolling inside the Maximum Security compound.

“These were never used by some inmates to play golf inside jail. Never for leisure,” Bravo stressed.

Disputing claims of the Philippine National Police (PNP) that 30 golf carts and e-motorcycles were found inside Bilibid on Tuesday, Bravo said there were only 12 golf carts and e-bikes.

A police source said Tuesday in a text message to INQUIRER.net that BuCor personnel brought out several golf carts and e-motorcycles at the Maximum Security compound amid reports that special treatment were given to some high-profile Bilibid inmates.

“The golf carts are needed by jail guards to patrol inside the compound. We also use this for transporting visitors to the Chapel,” he said, emphasizing that the compound was too vast to be travelled by foot.

Bravo explained that the Maximum Security compound, where high-profile convicts are housed, is a nine-hectare area.

The compound is divided into four quadrants separated as Carcel (first and second quadrant) and Presidio (third and fourth) sides.

“These golf carts are very useful. Say when an eventuality arises at the third quadrant, we have to get there fast from another quadrant so we could immediately check an inmate reported to have been committing illegal activities,” he said.

Why golf carts?

Asked why NBP personnel use golf carts, Bravo explained that the vehicle was “silent enough not to be detected.”

“If we have to go somewhere discreetly, we wouldn’t get noticed,” he said.

In the previous INQUIRER.net report, police also said that the golf carts were “returned to the relatives of prisoners.”

According to the BuCor official, some of the golf carts were acquired under the BuCor administration of retired Lieutenant General Gaudencio Pangilinan Jr.

Bravo said other golf carts were donated by wives of prisoners.

Now, he said the golf carts are kept under the custody of the Bucor’s Bureau Reservations Support Service (BRSS).

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