Aguirre eyes SAF to man NBP, high-risk inmates to be transferred

The New Bilibid Prison. INQUIRER file photo.

Some 300 members of the elite police force will be deployed at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in lieu of the current prison guards while “hard core” or high-profile inmates will be transferred to a highly secured prison facility in either Camp Aguinaldo or Tanay, Rizal or on an island, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said on Friday.

“It should be forthcoming anytime soon,” Aguirre told reporters, saying he is already in close coordination with Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald Dela Rosa.

The Special Action Force (SAF) men, according to Aguirre, will work in three shifts for around three months.

“To avoid familiarity, we are going to change the SAF also kasi alam namin maraming pera ang umiikot doon (because we know a huge amount of money is involved in Bilibid),” Aguirre said.

After the pullout of SAF men, Aguirre said they are looking at replacing them with members of the Marines.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s eyes are fixed on the NBP as he acknowledged that it is the source of 75 percent of the drug transactions in the country.

READ: Bilibid source of 75% of drug deals in PH—Aguirre

Convicted leaders of big time drug syndicates have managed to continue with their “business” through the use of mobile phones.

“We have to stop the use of mobile phones inside prison,” Aguirre said, acknowledging that that is the main instrument why inmates managed to continue with their illegal drugs activities.

Currently, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), which is in charge of seven major prison facilities in the country, has installed signal jammers inside the prison.

However, Aguirre said inmates have managed to get around the jammers by installing their own signal boosters.

“We need a very strong jammer,” Aguirre said. The Department of Justice (DOJ) chief said they are eyeing a jammer worth P10 million made in Israel where a booster will not work. He said there is one who already committed to donate the jammer.

Once procured, Aguirre said the jammer will be for Building 14. Building 14 is housing high-profile inmates, mostly drug lords.

The high-profile inmates have been transferred from the Maximum Security Prison to Building 14 after authorities discovered that they have been living “like gods” inside prison complete with high-end appliances, Jacuzzis, private gym and music room.

READ: Bilibid ‘kings’ lose Jacuzzis, back to ‘tabo’

For now, Aguirre said the inmates will stay at Building 14 but eventually, they will be moved to either Camp Aguinaldo, in a cell that previously housed rebel soldiers, a detention facility in Tanay, Rizal and the long range plan of constructing a building at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija.

“We are also considering transferring them to an island,” Aguirre said. RAM/rga