House Justice committee OKs Bilibid drug trade probe report

MANILA, Philippines (Philippines News Agency) –  The House of Representatives Justice committee on Tuesday approved its report on the inquiry into the proliferation of illegal drugs in the New Bilibid Prison.

The committee report was approved through a viva voce vote after 47 hours of hearings and two executive sessions.

Mindoro Oriental Rep. Reynaldo Umali, Justice panel chair, said he expects the inquiry to be the “shortest, swiftest congressional inquiry ever in the history of Philippine Congress”, hoping to achieve the record 28 days if it will be calendared for Tuesday’s plenary session.

Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin, on behalf of the minority, dissented from the committee report for not including a recommendation of filing charges against culpable officers and officials involved in the illegal drug trade inside the national penitentiary.

“Based on the findings and the recommendations on the administrative as well as legislative matters, our point of objection is on the identification, or the definitive culpability of those accountable officers involved in the proliferation of drugs in the National (New) Bilibid Prison,” Garbin said.

“It is necessary to identify all those officials and personalities involved in the proliferation of drugs in the National (New) Bilibid Prison and a recommendation must be derived on the prosecution of those accountable officers as well as personalities,” he added.

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In an ambush interview, Umali declined to divulge the contents of the committee report prior to being included in the calendar of business in the plenary as per House rules.

Umali, however, noted that the report will contain findings on the illegal drug operations inside the NBP, the accountability and involvement of officials, as well as laws to fix the flaws in the current prison system.

The House committee chair also dismissed the doubts casted on the convicted witnesses saying they have no gains from their testimonies. He said the inmates were also fit to witness as they are the ones inside the penitentiary.

“To that extent they are credible because they have the knowledge of the goings on in the Bilibid prison,” Umali said reiterating that inmate witnesses were not offered any clemency or pardon to testify before the lower chamber committee.

The House probe wrapped up its hearing after four days of inquiry. They are set to take a break from Oct. 22 to Nov. 6, 2016. —PNA with reports from Philstar.com/Rosette Adel