Relocating and decongesting the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City—especially ot high-profile inmates inside the maximum-security compound—could help eradicate organized syndicates operating behind the walls of the national penitentiary, Senator Francis Tolentino said.
“Kung mas ilalayo sila, mainam din na sama-sama rin sila para wala silang contact—wala silang middle man na mauutusan para mag distribute at walang logistical connection (If they are housed in a far-away facility, they would not be able to link up with outside help for distribution and logistical connection),” he said.
Tolentino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, gave this observation during his weekly radio program on DZRH Saturday, Nov. 12.
“(Kung sakaling malipat at ma-relocate) ang talagang mabuwag diyan eh yung kultura (ng sidikato) eh—yung kultura sa loob ng Bilibid na padri-padrino pa rin yung andoon (If they are transferred and re-located, the culture of syndicates inside the National Bilibid Prisons would be gone),’’ he added.
Tolentino made the remarks amid a series of controversies hounding Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), particularly the alleged involvement of its top officials and other gang leaders inside NBP on the recent assassination of veteran journalist Percival "Percy Lapid" Mabasa and the suspected murder of one of its self-confessed middlemen inside the maximum-security compound.
Among those potential relocation sites for NBP according as proposed by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla include a 10-hectare government property in Sablayan, Mindoro Occidental and a segment of Fort Magsaysay in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija.
Should the relocation of NBP push through, inmates from the maximum-security compound will be transferred to the Mindoro site while those in the minimum and medium-security compounds will have their respective quarter assignments in the allotted area inside Fort Magsaysay.
Tolentino stressed that organized syndicates would continue to hound the walls of NBP should the operation of the national penitentiary remain inside Metro Manila.
“Kapag andito ka po sa Metro Manila, andyan ka lang sa Muntinlupa eh... may koneksyon sila sa outside world (If you are in Metro Manila, you are still in Muntinglupa city). Kung ilalayo sila sa isang bulubunduking lugar na walang koneksyon, ay palagay ko eh baka matuto pa ng magaling na pamamaraan ng agrikultura iyang mga yan kaysa sa may koneksyon sila dito (But if you are in a mountainous area without connections, I think you will even become a good farmer),” he added.
During a DWIZ radio interview, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara said there is still a chance funds for a ‘’super max’’ prison facility to be built.
The funds could still be inserted in the proposed P5.268-trillion national budget where Senate deliberations are still in the period of amendments on second reading, and later on third reading and during bicameral committee meetings, he said.
There is still time for the presentation of program of works and how much these ‘’super max’’ facilities would cost, he added.