Inmate ruled Bilibid with cars for bribe, says witness | Inquirer News

Inmate ruled Bilibid with cars for bribe, says witness

/ 02:45 PM October 06, 2016

A police official formerly assigned at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) revealed that four prison guards manning the New Bilibid Prison’s (NBP) maximum security compound received Toyota Innova from a high-profile inmate as bribe in exchange for protection from drugs raids.

They were called inside the NBP as “Innova Boys,” according to Senior Supt. Jerry Valeroso, one of the witnesses presented at the congressional inquiry into the alleged boom in the drug trade inside the national penitentiary.

“It is the prison guards themselves who bring in drug and pass them on to drug lords incarcerated therein. Four of them are even known as the ‘Innova Boys’ because of the Toyota Innova units given to them by a drug lord inmate,” Valeroso said.

Article continues after this advertisement

This was before the members of Special Action Force (SAF), the elite unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP), took over and replaced the prison guards at the maximum security compound.

FEATURED STORIES

But despite the entry of SAF commandos to the NBP, Valeroso said the drug trade inside the prison is “still alive and well.”

READ: Drug lords rule New Bilibid Prison

Article continues after this advertisement

“When the PNP SAF took over the security at maximum security, the drug trade was simply transferred to the medium security where it is extremely convenient for the drug lords to sell ‘shabu’ (metamphetamine hydrochloride),” he said.

Article continues after this advertisement

READ: SAF now mans Bilibid

Article continues after this advertisement

When Valeroso conducted a surveillance operation inside the NBP, he said he personally witnessed the extravagant lifestyle of the maximum security inmates.

He said the inmates there gambled freely and brazenly displayed guns tucked in their waistbands.

Article continues after this advertisement

“I noticed inmates with pistols brazenly tucked in their waistbands. Gambling was open and the wagers reached millions of pesos. I was able to watch a billiard game wherein stacks upon stacks of one thousand peso bills were just placed on top of the billiard table and after the game, were just carelessly thrown around,” he said.

Valeroso also admitted to recruiting inmate and former police officer Nonilo Arile as a confidential informant in 2014 to help the CIDG investigate the illegal drug trade in Bilibid.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

Arile also testified before the congressional inquiry and revealed names of high-profile inmates involved in drugs and their connections outside prison. IDL/rga

TAGS: bribery, drug lord, Drugs, prison guards, Toyota Innova

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.