Prison personnel could be involved in the continued entry of contraband items, including illegal drugs, at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said on Tuesday, July 18. BuCor Deputy Director for Operations and NBP Acting Superintendent Angelina L. Bautista pointed out the possible connivance after a person deprived of liberty (PDL) at the maximum-security compound surrendered illegal drugs and paraphernalia last Sunday, July 16. Bautista said “hindi makakapasok ‘yan kung walang connivance ng BuCor personnel (the contraband couldn’t have been smuggled into the facility without the connivance of BuCor personnel).” Thus, she said “ang ginawa na namin ay kinausap na yung mga PDLs na sila na mismo ang magturo or mag turn over ng mga illegal contrabands na ipinapasok o pinapalusot galing sa labas.” In her report to BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr., Bautista said that “PDL Robert Gamboa personally surrendered one blue pouch containing six sachets of crystalline substance suspected to be shabu and other paraphernalia placed inside two pineapple cans.” “The surrendered suspected illegal drugs and paraphernalia were brought to the Office of the Intelligence and Investigation Section for proper documentation and later were turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency,” she said. But Bautista said the during interrogation, “Gamboa refused to identify the source of the illegal contrabands and opted to remain silent.” For security reason, “he was transferred from the maximum-security compound to medium-security compound” pending investigation the incident.