MANILA, Philippines — More than 100 Bureau of Corrections personnel held a surprise inspection in the New Bilibid Prison on Tuesday, reportedly their fifth since November.
A source said inspectors found a gun said to be owned by convicted carjacking leader Raymond Dominguez.
Msgr. Roberto Olaguer, BuCor spokesperson, refused to say what contraband were seized in the surprise inspection but he said it was done in Buildings 2, 5 and 9 of the maximum security compound starting 4 a.m.
Members of the Commando gang reside in Building 2, members of Sputnik in Building 5, and combined members of Commando, Sputnik and Genuine Ilocano Gang in Building 9, according to Olaguer.
“This is a routinary procedure already. It’s going to be a continuous thing so we can expect more of these inspections in the coming days,” Olaguer said, noting that this was the fifth done by the BuCor this month so far.
He said the first inspection was on Nov. 4.
Olaguer said Tuesday’s search ended around 10 a.m.. He added that he could not say exactly what contraband were seized because an official inventory had yet to be made.
A source said, however, that among those confiscated by authorities were a grenade, an improvised shotgun, two airconditioning units, and 10 bottles of “home-brewed” wine.
The source added a .45 cal. pistol was found in the Sputnik area, inside a garbage can.
“It was found at the bottom of a pot, on top of which was a dumbbell,” the source said.
He said some inmates told the authorities the pistol was owned by Raymond Dominguez, convicted leader of the Dominguez carjacking group.
Dominguez, he said, had been holed up in the NBP since his conviction years ago.
The convicted carjack leader has also been charged recently in connection with the death of Bulacan Regional Trial Court judge Wilfredo Nieves.
“If it is found to be his, he can be charged with illegal possession of firearms,” the source said.
Olaguer said authorities would continue to hold the surprise inspections in line with their vision of a 100 percent safe prison facility.
“Many are happy with what we are doing. When I talk to the older inmates, they say that the compound is more peaceful, it’s safer,” he said.
He acknowledged, however, that finding contraband inside the prison could mean there were still inmates conniving with some unscrupulous personnel for these prohibited items to be slipped inside.
“Last year, when the (National Bureau of Investigation) held raids here, some (unscrupulous personnel) were suspended. Now, there are those under investigation,” Olaguer said, saying he could not specify a number.
Supt. Richard Schwarzkopf Jr., NBP head, said in a radio interview that authorities would hang fishnets around the compound fences to prevent contraband from being thrown from the outside inside to inmates. SFM