Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has relieved four officials at the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City after inmates surrendered approximately two dozen firearms, 290 knives, 300 cellular phones and assorted drug paraphernalia.
Relieved were: Lucio Guevarra, commander of the guards; Ricardo Sespene, head of the special patrol unit; Roberto Mandap, head of the inmates visitation services unit; and Danilo Dador, officer in charge of the compound.
Supt. Richard Schwarzkopf Jr., NBI head, said the officials were relieved after granting passes for visitors without seeking the approval of the Office of Superintendent. These passes, he said, should not have been issued.
Starlet, prostitutes
Schwarzkopf did not identify the recipients of these passes but media reports quoted De Lima as saying that she received information that a starlet and prostitutes managed to enter the NBP on Dec. 24.
De Lima led Bureau of Corrections officials in opening eight boxes containing the surrendered weapons, cell phones and other contraband.
The boxes were placed in the corners of the compound and the prisoners, following De Lima’s order, turned over all contraband items by Christmas Eve. The deadline was extended to Monday.
A radio interview, however, quoted De Lima as saying that she was not satisfied with the items found in the boxes.
“I have a gut feel that the [prison] gangs still have in their possession several weapons and illegal drugs and that what they surrendered are the weapons that they can no longer use,” she said.
The contents of the boxes, according to an inventory released by the NBP, included firearms such as 14 improvised shotguns, an Uzi automatic pistol and other pistols and revolvers of various calibers.
There were also 242 fan knives, 21 long-blade weapons and 29 other assorted bladed weapons.
Among the gadgets inventoried were 341 cell phones, 16 cell phone chargers, seven earphones, one pocket Wi-Fi and one booster antenna.
There were also improvised drug paraphernalia such as water pipes, tooters, aluminum foil, lighter and pieces of glass.
De Lima also said she created “cleanup oversight team” to rid the prison compound of all weapons and contraband within three to four months.