DOJ to look into alleged move to evict residents around Bilibid
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice will look into reports that utilities have been cut off around the New Bilibid Prison and that the Bureau of Corrections has given area residents a 15-day notice to vacate.
Kalipunan ng Mamamayan na Pinagkaisa sa NBP Inc. (Kampina) said in a statement that some 600 residents of the area around the prison held a picket in Muntinlupa City to assail the NBP Master Development Plan that Bureau of Corrections chief Nicanor Faeldon is pushing.
The plan is meant to privatize the NBP for mixed-use projects in its almost 366.7 hectares of land, said Kampina.
DOJ: No decision yet on new national penitentiary site
But Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that they are yet to decide on the transfer of the national penitentiary and where to put it.
He said that there are at least three options for the transfer of the NBP.
The transfer of the NBP to Nueva Ecija was pushed during the administration of President Benigno Aquino III.
With the transfer, the new national penitentiary is expected to be bigger with modern facilities.
The proposed penal complex could accommodate 26,880 prisoners and would have facilities for staff housing and administrative buildings, as well as areas for sports, work and religious activities.
Rep. Ariel Casilao (Anakpawis party-list) warned that BuCor officials may be held accountable to violation of the “human right to water and sanitation,” recognized by the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and United Naitions General Assembly of July 2010.
In a separate statement Monday, Casilao added: “We appeal for support against eviction of NBP urban poor families. Their right to shelter must be upheld, as part of our contribution to human development and protection of universal human rights to adequate standard of living.” — Kristine Joy Patag
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