MANILA, Philippines—“I told you so.”
That was the mocking remark made by “jueteng” whistleblower Sandra Cam when asked on her opinion on the discovery of luxurious “kubols” or detention spaces of 19 convicts at the Maximum Security Compound in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), which was raided Monday morning by an inter-agency team led by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.
In an interview over Radyo Inquirer 990 AM on Tuesday, Cam said that she is amused by de Lima’s reaction on its team’s discovery of luxury watches, millions of pesos in cash, still-unidentified amount of shabu, life-size sex dolls and a Jacuzzi in some of the kubols.
Sandra Cam. INQUIRER.net’s FILE PHOTO
She added that the justice secretary knows the existence of these extravagant quarters inside the national penitentiary, following the exposé made by Kabungsuan Makilala, a whistleblower and ex-jail guard in the NBP last 2012.
Makilala, a former assistant head for BuCor’s bids and awards committee, revealed that rampant corruption, irregularities, and prostitution exist inside the national penitentiary.
“’Yung arte ni Sec. de Lima natatawa na lang ako kasi she knows it very well na noong lumutang ‘yung whistleblower namin sa Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), si [Kabungsuan] Makilala, ‘yun ang sinasabi niya. Tinanggal pa siya sa Witness Protection Program (WP) kasi hindi sila bilib na nagsasabi ng totoo ‘yung tao. Ngayon, nalaman ng buong mundo. Paano makakalagay ng isang mansyon kung walang kasabwat na jail guards and officers ng BuCor?” Cam said.
(I am amused by de Lima’s reaction because she knows it very well when our whistleblower from the Bureau of Corrections, Kabungsuan Makilala, has revealed it already. He was removed from the Witness Protection Program because they don’t think that he is telling the truth. How can you put a mansion (inside the Bilibid) if you won’t conspire with jail guards and officers of the BuCor?)
She also slammed de Lima for discrediting Makilala, stating that he and other whistleblowers have risked their lives to expose corruption in the government.
“’Yung mga whistleblower na pinabayaan nila, ito ‘yung mga taong nagsasabi ng totoo, na ni-risk ang buhay nila pero hindi nila pinaniniwalaan. Pinaniniwalaan nila ang mga kasinungalingan ng mga taga-BuCor at ng mga taga-DOJ,” she added.
(These whistleblowers are the ones telling the truth and risked their lives even if they are being discredited. Instead, they believe the lies told by the BuCor and the DOJ.)
Cam is now asking de Lima to reconsider reinstating Makilala under the WPP in order to protect his life.