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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Transferred PDLs to Sablayan Prison 'plan protest rally to demand return to Bilibid'

Transferred PDLs to Sablayan Prison 'plan protest rally to demand return to Bilibid'

Published Oct 18, 2023 02:35 am

High-profile persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), who had been transferred to the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF) in Occidental Mindoro, were reported to be planning a protest rally to demand their return to the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.

The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) had said that hundreds of NBP's PDLs, most of them convicted of charges involving illegal drugs, had been transferred to SPPF from NBP not only to decongest the latter's facility but also to prevent their continued drugs trade through cellular telephones and other gadgets, and in connivance with prison guards.

“In Sablayan, there is no telecommunications signal so these drug lords cannot  communicate and continue their business outside of their cell, but because they are innovative they are bribing their guards to smuggle in satellite phones,” BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said. 

"Yung iba sa kanila dahil talagang hirap makalusot, ang ginagawa isusulat yung kanyang transaksyon sa isang papel kukutsabahin yung guards para kunan ng picture yung nakasulat sa papel para maisagawa yung transaksyon (Other PDLs,  because they couldn’t break through, decided to slip out papers of their transactions to guards who will take photographs to carry out their transactions),” Catapang said. 

Since receiving the information on the planned rally, Catapang said he has alerted the SPPF and ordered its  officials to be vigilant.

“That is the reason why I ordered C/Supt. Ruben Veneracion of SPPF to always be on the lookout and to rotate his personnel guarding the PDLs to avoid familiarity since there were reports reaching us that since the drug lords are having a hard time in Sablayan, they are planning to hold a protest rally aside from gathering signatures among PDLs to petition that they be brought back in Manila for obvious reason,” he stressed. 

Catapang said BuCor has signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with other government agencies for the formation of an inter-agency collaborative group aimed at combating illegal drugs.

Aside from BuCor, the other MOA signatories are the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Catapang reiterated his determination to cleanse and reform the bureau despite resistance from a number of BuCor personnel who have been affected financially.

He expressed hopes that these personnel will come to their senses and help him instead.

Related Tags

Bureau of Corrections
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