Contraband seized, luxury 'kubol' demolished during ‘Oplan Galugad’

MANILA, Philippines - Agents of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) conducted early Saturday its 16th “Oplan Galugad” at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) which led to the discovery of assorted weapons and contraband items and the demolition of a “luxury” kubol or dwelling being used by a high-profile convict.

According to NBP Superintendent Richard Schwarzkopf Jr., the items seized from Dormitories 3A, 3B, 3C1, 3C2, 3C3 at the NBP’s Maximum Security Compound Quadrant 4 and at the Maximum Security Compound’s Dormitory 5D at Quadrant 2 include 17 bladed weapons, two batons, four fan knives and a steel pipe.

Schwarzkopf said the dormitories are being occupied by convicts belonging to the Commando Gang.

Also seized were 10 digital video disk (DVD) players, two LED televisions, 21 analog televisions, a foot spa and two microphones.

BuCor agents also seized during the raid and search operation, which started at 5 a.m., 16 assorted mobile phones, 35 mobile phone chargers, six headphones and two USB flash drives.

Bucor agents also demolished the “kubol” of high-profile convict Jaybee Sebastian. According to the NBP, Sebastian’s kubol has an entertainment area where a punching bag and a bed were found. The NBP said Sebastian’s was the fourth “luxury” kubol demolished in the “Oplan Galugad” series.

Sebastian was convicted by the Manila Regional Trial Court in 2009 for two counts of kidnap-for-ransom and was sentenced to serve two life sentences.

The NBP has intensified its drive against contraband inside the national penitentiary facility though a series of raids on inmate dormitories under its “Oplan Galugad.”

In its recent series of surprise raids on the prison’s dormitories under “Oplan Galugad,” prison authorities have managed to confiscate several contrabands including guns, explosives, liquor, mobile phones, a radio-controlled toy helicopter, sex toys and television sets.

BuCor Director Ricardo Rainier Cruz III had earlier ordered the continuing surprise raids and searches to confiscate weapons and other illegal items that are being smuggled into the prison.

A previous surprise search done last December at the dormitory of Commando and Sigue-Sigue Sputnik gangs led to the seizure of a large cache of firearms that was found buried in one of the cells.

The prison guards also seized mobile phones, television sets, air conditioning units and even sex toys from the cells during the search.

More than 50 high-value inmates that include convicted drug lords and murderers are detained in the prison. At least 14,000 convicts are detained in the nine-hectare NBP compound.