Bilibid personnel reshuffled

For violating his "no visitation" directive, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Dionisio Santiago has reshuffled several jail guards assigned at Dormitory 14 of the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP).

Santiago cracked the whip against jail personnel assigned to Building 14 for "failing to exercise their functions."

"All of them can be removed from their post if they would not shape up," he said.

NBP Superintendent Francisco Abunales told The STAR they demoted Building 14 officer-in-charge, Prison Guard 2 Willy Likod, to assistant OIC and installed PG3 Angelito Padilla as OIC. They also replaced four jail guards who allegedly allowed some inmates to see visitors.

"We are not satisfied with their performance in implementing prison rules and regulations. Since last week, Director Santiago has ordered the cancellation of visiting privileges, but we learned that some inmates in Dormitory 14 were given consideration and allowed to see visitors," Abunales said.

Privileges were cancelled following the seizure of drugs from several inmates.

Inmates in Buildings 1 to 13 are given five days a week — Monday to Friday — to receive visitors. Friday and Saturday are considered their laundry days. Those locked up in Building 14 are only given two visiting days — Fridays and Saturdays.

There are 12 jail guards working in shifts to secure Building 14. At present, there are about nine inmates in the building.

A Korean national was added to the number of inmates in Building 14 after they seized a laptop computer and equipment for fixing cellular phones were seized from him during a 10 a.m. raid on Building 13 yesterday.

Abunales refused to identify the inmate saying they are still verifying the allegations. "No wonder there is a proliferation of cell phone users among the inmates, they have an in-house cell phone fixer." – Evelyn Macairan