Prisoners lose pet spider, shanties

Authorities on Thursday seized illegal drugs, appliances and exotic pets during yet another surprise inspection of the inmates’ shanties at New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.

Among the items confiscated were an aquarium containing a tarantula, TV sets and about 15 grams of suspected methampetamine hydrochloride or “shabu,” said Supt. Richard Schwarzkopf, NBP head. “They probably keep the tarantula as pets but that is also prohibited,” he added.

The inspection that began around 4 a.m.—

the 13th since November—covered Buildings 2, 5 and 9 in the maximum security compound’s Quadrant 2. Using axes and jackhammers, prison personnel also demolished about 20 shanties at the back of Building 11 in the same quadrant.

Bureau of Corrections Director General Ricardo Rainier Cruz III earlier ordered all “eyesores” in the prison torn down.

“These structures also obstruct (the view of) our closed-circuit television cameras so they need to go,” Schwarzkopf said, adding that their removal would allow monitors to see inmates who receive contraband thrown over the walls from outside the prison complex.

“If someone now lingers (in the cleared area), it can mean he is receiving contraband from outside,” he added. “We have to do this to prevent the shanties from becoming a place of illegal activities.” Kristine Felisse Mangunay