Aguirre admits resurgence of drug trade at NBP

Facade of the National Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa. INQUIRER PHOTO / JOAN BONDOC

There is a resurgence of illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II admitted on Monday.

“I have received reports that there (was) some reactivation; we are doing something about this. We are going to end this resurgence, some sort of resurgence by some inmates. I talked to the Director General last Saturday, and we know what we are going to do,” Aguirre told reporters.

Aguirre hinted that there was a high profile inmate who remained involved in the drug trade but there were “new leaders” who stepped in to continue the illegal transactions.

Last year, the Special Action Force (SAF) was deployed to guard the penitentiary in efforts to end the drug trade that allegedly flourished during the watch of the Justice Secretary Leila de Lima who has been accused by the Duterte administration of not only tolerating the illegal activity but also benefiting from it.

READ: SAF members into Bilibid drug trade?

Not only Aguirre but President Rodrigo Duterte himself said that 75 percent of the drug trade nationwide originates from NBP.

Aguirre said they have successfully dismantled the syndicates. He said the new drug trade is only five to 10 percent.

“We have successfully curbed 75 percent of the illegal drug trade. If ever, the resurgence is about five to 10 percent only and we are going to clip it again,” Aguirre said, adding that Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Chief already has a new project to stop it./rga