Bureau of Corrections Director Franklin Jesus Bucayu with his men during a raid inside the maximum security in National Bilibid Prison, Muntinlupa.
EDWIN BACASMAS
MANILA, Philippines—Authorities swooped in on the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa on Saturday, resulting in what the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director said was the confiscation of “illegal contraband.”
Director Franklin Jesus Bucayu said the raid held jointly by the BuCor, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Special Action Force, the Muntinlupa police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency around 6 a.m. led to the seizure of cash amounting in the thousands, ledgers and notebooks used in “illegal transactions,” and mobile phones, among others.
Bucayu initially said the amount of cash confiscated was P600,000, but later said he would verify this.
He could not immediately say if illegal drugs were recovered from the raid.
“This was a surprise inspection. Several kubols of inmates who were on suspicion of possessing illegal contraband and luxurious items were the ones raided,” Bucayu said over the phone.
He identified these five inmates as Noel Arnejo, Gianfranco Pasco, Edelberto Durano, Brando Ramirez and Joselito Valiente.
The BuCor director said none of them was a suspect in the blast that killed one inmate and injured 19 others on Thursday.
“They will be investigated and those who had contraband we seized will be charged (at kakasuhan yung mga nakuhaan natin ng contraband),” he said.
But a member of the NBI’s criminal investigation division who was among those who took part in the raid but refused to be identified for lack of authority to speak on the matter later told the Philippine Daily Inquirer three inmates who were rounded up by authorities were “witnesses” to Thursday’s incident.
“No, no one is a suspect. But they saw the blast,” he said.
Reporters who tried to confirm this information were made to wait outside the NBP headquarters until an official spoke to them, but no one came as of 2 p.m.
Calls to Supt. Richard Schwarzkopf, NBP officer in charge, during that time were answered by a female who said he was in a meeting.
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