Secret room found in Bilibid raid

MANILA, Philippines – Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) personnel discovered a secret room during the latest raid on the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City yesterday.

NBP superintendent Richard Schwarzkopf said during the “Oplan Galugad” raid, the 31st conducted since November last year, a fully furnished “secret kubol” – concealed by a false wall and fitted with an air-conditioner, a bicycle, a water dispenser and a flat-screen television – was found in Quadrant 4’s Building 13.

“The occupant of the kubol, a Chinese national, was placed in protective cell. He will face suspension of his privileges, including a deduction of his earned good conduct merit,” he said.

A detainee can shorten his sentence by racking up good conduct merit points.

BuCor personnel also rounded up 10 inmates who were caught with contraband such as electronic gadgets, bladed weapons and illegal drug paraphernalia.

The inmates were placed in protective cells pending an administrative investigation over the seizure of contraband in their building, occupied by more than 1,000 inmates, among them members of the Batang Cebu and Batang Mindanao gangs.

He said prison guards confiscated appliances, mobile phones, Wi-Fi devices, routers, bottles of imported liquor, bladed weapons and illegal drug paraphernalia as well as a cage of fighting cocks.