Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Officer-in-Charge Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said that “gang leaders” or “commanders” of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) are imposed quotas on the sale of illegal items or contrabands inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.
During a radio interview on Wednesday, Dec. 21, Catapang said several PDLs have told him that the smuggling of contrabands inside NBP has been controlled by BuCor Deputy Security Officer Ricardo S. Zulueta.
“Doon sa grupo ni Zulueta kasi sila ang nagpapasok ng mga kailangan ng mga PDLs. Sinisingitan na nila ng mga illegal o mga ipinagbabawal, cellphone, sigarilyo, tabako, alak. Maniwala ka nga ‘yung isang black label ata ay ano P15,000 o P20,000 (The group of Zulueta has been bringing in items that PDLs need. They slip in illegal items like mobile phones, cigarettes, tobacco, liquors. Believe it or not a bottle of a black label was being sold between P15,000 to P20,000,” he said.
He reminded that last November, a total of 7,515 beer in cans were seized inside the NBP which were were being sold for P1,000 each to inmates.
He also said that cigarettes were also being sold for P1,500 per pack and P15,000 per ream.
At the same time, Catapang said he discovered that a high-profile inmate has been overstaying at the Bilibid’s Reception and Diagnostic Center (RDC) instead of being detained with the rest of the general prison population.
He did not name the “overstaying” PDL at RDC. But he said the PDL has been transferred to where he should be.
“Yung RDC kasi pag bagong sentensyado ka na doon ka muna (Those who have just been meted out a prison term are initially taken to the RDC),” he explained.
Catapang also said at least 24 BuCor personnel are under investigation for various violations.
“Kahit abogado siya, accountant sya sabi ko magsa-sampol ako sa inyo (Even if you are lawyer or an accountant I will set you as an example),” he said he told the personnel under investigation.
If found guilty of violations of the laws and BuCor rules and regulations, Catapang said he will seek the disbarment of lawyers and cancellation of the licenses of accountants.
TAGS: #BuCor #Catapang #NBP contrabands