The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said it is not preventing residents of a government housing project from accessing the Muntinlupa City proper as they can use an alternate route.
This was after BuCor built a wall on a road in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Reservation leading to the National Housing Authority (NHA) Southville 3 housing project that prevents its residents from passing through the prison compound going to Bgy. Poblacion.
“We do not prevent residents of NHA Southville 3 from accessing city proper. In fact, we continue to open the bigger road within NBP compound called Biazon Road going to Alabang and also going to city proper,” said Asec. Gabriel Chaclag, BuCor deputy director general for operations and administration.
Chaclag earlier sent a letter to Poblacion Bgy. Captain Allen Ampaya informing him that the road leading to Southville 3 housing project “will not be accessible temporarily to all pedestrians and motorists starting from March 20, 2021.”
The decision, he said, was for “security enhancement and health protocols implemented by the Bureau of Corrections amid COVID-19 inside NBP reservation area, and in support to the local government’s strict implementation of the curfew hours.”
However, Bgy. Poblacion said the letter did not say that a wall or permanent structure would be placed on the road.
The road closure drew protests from Southville 3 residents and from the city government. Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon said the wall is illegal and a violation of the Civil Code of the Philippines, which makes it a nuisance anything that “obstructs or interferes with the free passage of any public highway or street, or any body of water.”
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi urged BuCor to demolish the wall, saying “closing of roads leading through your area would mean isolating the residents of Southville 3 from its own City as they have to go through San Pedro or Las Pinas to gain their entry back to Muntinlupa City. It is like cutting them geographically to the City of Muntinlupa.”
But Chaclag said BuCor did not block the road but closed the road from “Southville 3 passing through Maximum Security Compound.”
“Matagal po plano ito at dapat lang, kasi po kailangan secured ang maximum security prison natin (The plan was already conceived a long time ago and rightly so since the maximum security prison needs to be secured). There is another big highway within NBP land called Biazon Road that NHA Southville 3 can use as alternate route. Ngayon ay open po yun (This is open),” said Chaclag.
He added, “Hindi po binawalan ng BuCor ang mga NHA residents na pumunta sa Poblacion. Meron mas maluwang na daanan at yun po sa kabila. Nasanay lamang po mga residents doon ng halos 15 years ay yung shortcut dinadaanan nila sa loob ng NBP which is beside the wall of the maximum security compound (The BuCor did not prohibit NHA residents from going to Poblacion. There is a wider road and it’s on the other side. For 15 years, NHA residents got used to using the shortcut inside the NBP which is beside the wall of the maximum security compound).”
“Konting sakripisyo lamang naman po. Nadagdagan ng 1.5 km lang ang kanilang travel distance kesa sa dating shortcut. Ito rin ay pagbibigay ng dignity sa mga residents na hindi sila habang buhay na nakikidaan lang sa loob ng BuCor. Tratuhin natin sila ng may respeto at dignidad kaya po dapat magandang daan ang pa gamit sa kanila (They need to make a little sacrifice. About 1.5 km has been added to their travel distance compared to the shortcut. This is also to give residents dignity that they no longer have to pass inside BuCor. We need to treat them with respect and dignity; that is why we should let them use a good road),” said Chaclag.
Biazon said BuCor is “preventing Southville residents to access city proper via the more direct and faster route, the Insular Road . While Biazon road is open, people would either have to pass via San Pedro Laguna or Bacoor, Cavite and Las Pinas.”
If Southville 3 residents want to go to Poblacion through Biazon Road, they need to pass through Daang Hari Road in Bacoor, Cavite and Las Pinas, Bgy. Ayala Alabang, Bgy. Alabang, Bgy, Bayanan and Bgy. Putatan, the Muntinlupa congressman explained.