Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) personnel are prohibited from soliciting gifts, in cash or in kind, this Christmas season.
Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. has issued a directive as a measure to prevent corrupt activities, BuCor said in a statement issued on Tuesday, Dec. 12.
BuCor said the directive stated that “all BuCor Commissioned and Non-Commissioned Officers, Employees, and Personnel under service of contract to refrain from soliciting gifts, either monetary or in-kind during the Christmas Season’s Celebration whether from the Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs), PDLs’ families or relatives, private enterprises, and general public while transacting official business.”
Earlier, BuCor implemented a cashless system at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.
“The Cashless Prison System is one of the policies of the Director General Catapang aimed at eliminating corruption and illegal activities involving cash transactions within prison camps.”
“Not only prisoners but also corrections officers are prohibited from possessing cash under this policy,” it added.
Under the cashless system, the BuCor explained that PDLs were asked to deposit their cash and were given “a passbook that clearly stated the amount they had deposited.”
“This passbook serves as an account holder to track their transactions for transparency. Passbook holders can purchase goods or commodities at the Inmate Post Exchange (IPX),” it also said.