Prison raids to continue—DOJ

Until the country’s biggest prison facility is clean, the raids will continue.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) made this vow this week, vouching for the commitment of its prison officials to rid the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) of contraband as successive raids continued to yield a fresh haul.

In the wake of Wednesday’s raid, Justice Undersecretary Emmanuel Caparas said the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) would continue scouring the Muntinlupa prison facility even as he conceded that checking the entire 300-hectare NBP compound was a logistical challenge.

Director General Ricardo Rainier Cruz III, was “very single-minded in cleaning up [Bilibid]. That’s what is impressive about him,” Caparas told reporters this week.

“He will do this as often as necessary…Possibly, and this is just my speculation, if three consecutive raids yield no more contraband, then that could be time for the next level of reform.

Since becoming BuCor chief last year, Cruz has led 12 raids at the NBP, undertaking the operations by quadrants.

There are currently 27,000 inmates serving time in Bilibid. The population is expected to be transferred to a new 500-ha prison facility up for construction in Nueva Ecija and set to open by 2019.

Earlier raids have busted luxury quarters that yielded drugs, cash, sex toys, appliances and other contraband, bringing into question the strength of BuCor’s security enforcement.

Just this week, another raid yielded a new haul of banned items, including wellness equipment such as a facial peeling machine, a massage machine and shower heater.

Authorities also found pistols, ammunition and knives during the raid that targeted Quadrant 1 of Bilibid’s Maximum Security Compound.

“It (raids) will just keep on happening until [the prison] is finally clean,” Caparas said.

He said the BuCor will submit to the DOJ a report on the raids, including the persons who might be involved in allowing the entry of such contraband into Bilibid.