MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima cleared Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director Franklin Jesus Bucayu of liability yesterday following the seizure of contraband in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) during last Monday’s raid.
De Lima, however, said she directed NBP executives and officers – from Superintendent Roberto Rabo down to the jail guards – to submit their respective explanations as to why they should not be held administratively liable over the illegal drugs, mobile phones and gadgets seized from 20 drug lords operating from inside the prison.
“I will require all of them to explain why these contrabands were these inside the maximum security compound, and depending on their explanations we determine who will be charged administratively,” she said in an interview.
She said she asked Bucayu for a complete list of officers and personnel of the NBP.
The justice chief, who has supervision of the BuCor and NBP, revealed that she is also considering some “immediate steps” including preventive suspension of the officials being investigated.
De Lima confirmed that Bucayu is not among those being investigated.
“At this point I’m holding judgment on him because, in the first place, he was with us in the planning and during the raid conducted… At this point, he is not included among those being investigated,” she stressed.
Still, she has given Bucayu an ultimatum and warned him that possession of cash, mobile phones and other contraband by any inmate in the NBP “will be totally unacceptable.”
De Lima revealed her plans after meeting with officials of BuCor, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission yesterday afternoon.
She said they conducted an inventory of the contraband and divided them into two classes: the illegal items, such as shabu and firearms; and the non-illegal but prohibited items, including about P2 million in cash, gadgets, television sets, air-conditioning machines and expensive personal properties.
“The illegal items were confiscated and will form part of the evidence in the cases being prepared while the non-illegal items will be kept for safekeeping and will be returned to the inmates eventually,” she explained.
Noy ‘bothered’ by guns in NBP
President Aquino was bothered by the smuggling of firearms in the national penitentiary, Press Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said as he affirmed De Lima’s announcement that the President gave specific directives for the dismantling of luxurious facilities built by rich inmates at the NBP.
He told reporters during yesterday’s briefing that the President has specific orders regarding the firearms and that is what has him concerned. Coloma noted that the raid was part of the reforms the Aquino administration imposed on the NBP.
The government remains focused on curbing the illegal activities in the penitentiary, he said.
19 drug lords housed at NBI
Meanwhile, the 19 convicted drug lords rounded up during the prison raid were moved to the NBI high-risk detention facility, which is still under the BuCor, Bucayu said.
De Lima said the convicts’ stay at the NBI compound is temporary and they will be returned to the prison as soon as the renovation of an old building for the segregation of high-risk prisoners is completed.
Bucayu said the NBI will file charges against the convicts who were found in possession of the seized contraband. He added that the inmates face demerits – which can make their sentences longer – and the cancellation of visiting privileges for violating prison rules.
The inmates taken out of the prison are Peter Co, Eugene Chua, Chua Sam Li, Vincent Sy, George Sy, Joel Capones, Herbert Colangco, Amin Imam Boratong, Tony Co, Clarence Dongail, Tom Chua, Rommel Capoines, Jojo Baligad, Willy Chua, Michael Ong, Jacky King Sy, Willy Sy, Noel Martinez and Herman Agojo.
De Lima said these inmates control as much as 50 percent of the illegal drug trade at the NBP.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency director general Arturo Cacdac Jr. said the “transfer of the drug lords and the confiscation of their communication equipment will deny them the opportunity to control their drug operations.” – With Delon Porcalla, Perseus Echeminada, Reinir Padua