Año bares deployment of 300 BJMP, PNP personnel at BuCor
Published Oct 11, 2019 10:58 am
By Chito Chavez
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo M. Año explained the bid to rid the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) with corrupt personnel led to the deployment of some 300 Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) officers.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año (Photo from Philippine Information Agency / MANILA BULLETIN)
With BuCor Chief Gerald Bantag, at the helm reforms and cleansing schemes within the organization will continue until the National Penitentiary is rid of all nefarious activities, particularly those pertaining to illegal drugs.
Recently, the BuCor came under fire after it was revealed that illegal drug trade remains rampant in the National Bilibid Prison (NBP).
Apart from this, controversy also arose after it was discovered the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) “for sale” anomaly.
Under the GCTA, inmates who exhibit good behavior will be released through this scheme provided by the government.
“The entire DILG organization fully supports BuCor chief Gerald Bantag in his mission to institute significant reforms in the NBP. I, together with PNP Chief Albayalde and BJMP Chief Iral immediately acted on Bantag’s request for police and jail officers to be assigned to BuCor to help him implement the much-needed reforms that the President has personally directed,” Año said.
“We want Chief Bantag to succeed, therefore we are prepared to temporarily assign BJMP and PNP officers until such time that he is confident that his organic personnel can do the job properly and are rid of corrupt practices,” he added.
Año said that the 110 personnel from the BJMP included 24 officers from the elite Special Tactics and Response Team (SWAT).
On the PNP side, a total of 195 Special Action Forces (SAF) troopers composed of 13 Police Commissioned Officers (PCOs) and 182 Police Non-Commissioned Officers (PNCOs) were detailed at the NBP.
This move came after more than 300 BuCor Corrections officers with alleged irregularities were relieved pending investigation as part of the President’s directive to revamp the bureau.
A former Director at BJMP MIMAROPA and Jail Warden of the Parañaque and Manila City Jails, Bantag requested for augmentation from Año to secure the said facility while the BuCor was being cleansed of all illegal activities, particularly those inside the National Penitentiary.
The DILG Chief assured that the deployed personnel will continue to assist in performing custodial functions until the BuCor Chief finishes the much-needed revamp and clean-up operations.
“We will continue to extend the much needed help within our capabilities to ensure maximum security while investigations in the bureau are on-going and the regular Corrections Officers are on floating status,” he added.
He also expressed confidence that with Bantag’s wide experience in handling various jail facilities, there will be smoother implementation of the GCTA law and more successful anti-illegal drugs campaign inside the NBP.
The revised GCTA Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) crafted by the DILG and the Department of Justice (DOJ) took effect on October 4.
Meanwhile, a liaison office composed of the PNP, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Armed Forces of the Philippines is now installed in the BuCor.
This special office provides intelligence gathering and coordination to suppress drug operations and crime inside the said facility and to ensure that deployed police and jail officers will not be corrupted while inside the NBP. (Chito A. Chavez)
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año (Photo from Philippine Information Agency / MANILA BULLETIN)
With BuCor Chief Gerald Bantag, at the helm reforms and cleansing schemes within the organization will continue until the National Penitentiary is rid of all nefarious activities, particularly those pertaining to illegal drugs.
Recently, the BuCor came under fire after it was revealed that illegal drug trade remains rampant in the National Bilibid Prison (NBP).
Apart from this, controversy also arose after it was discovered the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) “for sale” anomaly.
Under the GCTA, inmates who exhibit good behavior will be released through this scheme provided by the government.
“The entire DILG organization fully supports BuCor chief Gerald Bantag in his mission to institute significant reforms in the NBP. I, together with PNP Chief Albayalde and BJMP Chief Iral immediately acted on Bantag’s request for police and jail officers to be assigned to BuCor to help him implement the much-needed reforms that the President has personally directed,” Año said.
“We want Chief Bantag to succeed, therefore we are prepared to temporarily assign BJMP and PNP officers until such time that he is confident that his organic personnel can do the job properly and are rid of corrupt practices,” he added.
Año said that the 110 personnel from the BJMP included 24 officers from the elite Special Tactics and Response Team (SWAT).
On the PNP side, a total of 195 Special Action Forces (SAF) troopers composed of 13 Police Commissioned Officers (PCOs) and 182 Police Non-Commissioned Officers (PNCOs) were detailed at the NBP.
This move came after more than 300 BuCor Corrections officers with alleged irregularities were relieved pending investigation as part of the President’s directive to revamp the bureau.
A former Director at BJMP MIMAROPA and Jail Warden of the Parañaque and Manila City Jails, Bantag requested for augmentation from Año to secure the said facility while the BuCor was being cleansed of all illegal activities, particularly those inside the National Penitentiary.
The DILG Chief assured that the deployed personnel will continue to assist in performing custodial functions until the BuCor Chief finishes the much-needed revamp and clean-up operations.
“We will continue to extend the much needed help within our capabilities to ensure maximum security while investigations in the bureau are on-going and the regular Corrections Officers are on floating status,” he added.
He also expressed confidence that with Bantag’s wide experience in handling various jail facilities, there will be smoother implementation of the GCTA law and more successful anti-illegal drugs campaign inside the NBP.
The revised GCTA Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) crafted by the DILG and the Department of Justice (DOJ) took effect on October 4.
Meanwhile, a liaison office composed of the PNP, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Armed Forces of the Philippines is now installed in the BuCor.
This special office provides intelligence gathering and coordination to suppress drug operations and crime inside the said facility and to ensure that deployed police and jail officers will not be corrupted while inside the NBP. (Chito A. Chavez)