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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Officials foil plan to use pigeons in transporting illegal drugs inside the Bilibid

Officials foil plan to use pigeons in transporting illegal drugs inside the Bilibid

Published Aug 15, 2023 07:58 am

The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has uncovered plans hatched by some persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) to use pigeons in smuggling illegal drugs into the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.

 

BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said on Tuesday, Aug. 15, that he learned about the plan during last weekend’s conduct of search operations against contrabands inside NBP’s maximum-security compound.

 

“Nagalugad ko ‘yung mga ibon tine-train pa lang (I found pigeons being trained by inmates),” said Catapang, a retired chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

 

He said he found about 20 pigeons inside cages.  He said he was told that the pigeons were being trained by some PDLs as couriers.

 

“Ininterrogate namin ‘yung mga PDLs. Kumanta na rin (We questioned the PDLs. They admitted what they intend to use the pigeons to ferry contrabands),” he recounted.

 

He said that some of the PDLs confided that they would give the pigeons to members of families visiting them in jail.

 

He warned the PDLs against using the pigeons in transporting illegal drugs.

 

“Warning kasi wala naman kami nakuhang drugs (I only warned them because there were no illegal drugs found),” he said.

 

Catapang had earlier said that he had ordered the investigation of about 100 prison guards at NBP’s maximum-security compound for allowing entry of contrabands.

 

He said that during a week-long search operation, pieces of bladed weapons, five handguns, a few sachets of shabu and about 100 gallons of local wine called “tuba” were confiscated.

 

“Sa susunod na galugad ko, ‘pag may nahulihan ako PDLs ng mga deadly weapons, kasama ko na rin kakasuhan ‘yung mga gwardiya (In the next search operations, if I find deadly weapons among the PDLs, I will include the prison guards among those who will be charged),” he warned.

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