The blocked road inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City will be re-opened as soon as the control gate has been erected, Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said on Wednesday, Dec. 1.
The Nov. 26 closure of the road that serves as access to a village and schools drew the ire of residents and the Muntinlupa City local government.
The city government had declared Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Q. Bantag persona non grata or an unwanted person in the city.
Secretary Guevarra said that “DG Bantag has respectfully requested the Sangguniang Lungsod ng Muntinlupa to reconsider its resolution declaring him persona non grata.”
He said that “BuCor, after consultations with the DOJ (Department of Justice), will remove the road block as soon as a control gate, which was the original plan, has been put up.”
“But pedestrians can pass, I was so informed,” he added.
He also said: “Some interior access roads may also be closed for security reasons. These will reportedly not affect any residential community, so the BuCor may not find any need to inform the LGU (local government unit).”
Guevarra met last Monday, Nov. 29 with BuCor Deputy Director General Gabriel P. Chaclag and discussed the controversial road block.
BuCor had justified the closure of the road. In a statement, it said: “The BuCor leadership, in the exercise of its mandate of ensuring the safety and security of prison facility, has decided to restrict the access of Katarungan Village. This measure is made in response to several incidents and report on illegal activities perpetrated inside the NBP Camp.” The statement did not give details.
It said that Katarungan Village residents have “more than enough access points.”
“They have access going to Daang Hari road. They also have access to Muntinlupa City Hall through the Green Heights Subdivision which they had temporarily closed by themselves in the past but can be opened for purposes of accessibility,” it added.