MANILA – Nine high-profile inmates have been transferred to their original cells at the maximum security compound in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City on Friday morning, a Department of Justice (DoJ) official said.
In a message sent to reporters, DoJ Undersecretary Erickson Balmes said inmates Rico Caja, Joel Capones, Jojo Baligad, Benjamin Marcelo, Sam Lee Chua, Hanz Anton Tan, Che Kit Chua, Peter Co and Vicente Sy were transferred from medium security compound to Building 14 at the maximum security compound.
“The report about the transfer was already submitted to the office of the OIC (Officer-in-Charge) BuCor to be endorsed to the office of SOJ (Secretary of Justice),” Balmes said referring to the BuCor report submitted to the DoJ.
Caja, Capones and Baligad were placed in cell 23, while Marcelo and Chua were transferred to cell 24, Tan and Chua were placed in cell 25 while Co and Sy were assigned to cell 26 of Building 14.
“All these cells are located in block Charlie while Jaybee Sebastian is in block Alpha far from the cells of the nine,” the report said.
The transfer of the high profile inmates was made after Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguire issued Department Order No. 496 dated July 24, 2017 directing BuCor under officer-in-charge Rey Ragaas to immediately return the convicted drug lords from the medium security compound to their original detention facility.
Aguirre’s order covered inmates earlier transferred to the medium security compound, including Sy, Baligad, and Co, who all testified against De Lima before the House of Representatives inquiry on proliferation of illegal drugs in the NBP.
The DOJ chief said he is inclined not to believe reports on the supposed threats of some inmates to retract their statements against De Lima.
The resurgence of drug activities in NBP had also prompted BuCor Director General Benjamin delos Santos to resign on July 13.
After Delos Santos’ resignation, Aguirre has taken over the BuCor on Thursday.
In assuming leadership of the BuCor, Aguirre instructed all BuCor officials and employees “to submit and bring to the undersigned’s attention all matters that are beyond the authority of the BuCor Officer-in-Charge.”
Upon assuming the duties as top BuCor executive, Aguirre led another surprise inspection at NBP on Thursday morning that again led to confiscation of various contrabands.
Aguirre learned from Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) head Director Benjamin Lusad that there were airconditioned “kubols” or temporary shelters found inside the medium security compound.
Aguirre said the kubols would be destroyed and called for a probe about why kubols were allowed construction.
The SAF has also replaced its contingency that has guarded the national penitentiary since last year.
BuCor is an attached agency of the DoJ. (Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan/PNA)