Bilibid inmates’ rights not violated says CHR chair

MANILA, Philippines—Did Justice Secretary Leila de Lima violate the rights of high profile inmates who were transferred from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) to the National Bureau of Investigations (NBI)? The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) does not think so.

Commission on Human Rights chair Etta Rosales. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

CHR Chairperson Loretta Ann Rosales on Wednesday said there has to be a balance between the rights of the convicts and the collective right of the Filipino people to security.

The statement came after lawyers Ferdinand Topacio, Paul Laguitan and Andres Manuel threatened to file a case against the Justice Secretary after they were barred from visiting their clients Amin Imam Boratong, Noel Martinez, Willy Sy and Michael Ong Chan.

They accused De Lima of violating the human rights of their clients.

Boratong, Martinez, Sy and Ong Chan were among the 20 inmates transferred from the NBP to NBI after a raid last Dec. 15. The raid revealed illegal activities being conducted inside the penitentiary by rich convicts receiving VIP treatment.

Rosales visited the convicts last Dec. 27. She said the facility where the inmates were being held is spacious, cool and comfortable. She said it had double-deck beds in two rooms, a common bathroom and an open veranda.

“Maaliwalas is how I would describe this extended NBI facility,” Rosales said in a statement.

She said the inmates told her she was their first visitor because their relatives and lawyers were barred from visiting them.

“I assured them that, as a general rule, inmates have a right to their lawyers and visits from their loved ones, just like ordinary inmates.”

“But they are not ordinary inmates; they are high-profile, high-risk inmates that deserve special attention. Their rights to their lawyers and visits from their loved ones must be processed within a framework where the collective right of the Filipino people to security must equally be protected,” Rosales added.

She said the basic right of the public is ‘gravely’ threatened by the existence of prohibited drugs, contraband and weapons inside the state penitentiary. She echoed De Lima’s argument that solving drug trafficking inside the NBP can bring about a reduction of the crime by 20 to 30 percent nationwide.

“Thus, it is the primordial concern of everyone, within government and outside government, to make sure that the investigating and arresting teams under the DOJ are given full support in order to be able to cut off completely, totally and unconditionally all possible and probable links, ties, connection and leakages while taking into consideration the basic rights of all convicted inmates to legal counsel and family visits,” Rosales said.