Poe gets on case of errant jailers

Sen. Grace Poe. GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Sen. Grace Poe on Saturday called on the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to weed out of its ranks the corrupt and incompetent officials that have been abetting the smuggling of contraband into the state prison for years.

Poe issued the call in a statement following the recent raid at the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), where authorities seized high-powered firearms, illegal drugs and sex toys.

“It looked like there was an armory there for a long time and NBP officials seemed as shell-shocked as we were when the raid took place. It obviously took years to hoard all those firearms and NBP officials never found out? What does that say about the leadership at Bilibid?” Poe said.

The joint team from the BuCor, Philippine National Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency also confiscated over 60 bladed weapons, airsoft guns, 50,000 bullets, wooden knuckles, P140,000 in cash, flat-screen TV sets, mobile phones and other gadgets and appliances.

Poe said it was time to strictly implement the BuCor modernization law and improve the skills of jail personnel. While conducting regular inspections would help “cleanse” Bilibid, she said there must be a more permanent solution to the problem.