MANILA, Philippines — A high-value drug trafficker was among the four inmates who were killed during Monday’s riot at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Tuesday.
Calvin de Jesus Tan was sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for operating a shabu laboratory in Cebu, Justice Undersecretary and spokesperson Emmeline Aglipay Villar said.
Tan used Lin Chui Wi, Joey Ng and Joey Lin as his aliases, according to authorities.
Tan was arrested by the Hong Kong Customs police on Sept. 29, 2004. He was extradited in July 2005 during the term of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Villar said the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has yet to confirm the identity of Tan.
“But based on his prison records, he has the same age, first, middle and last name as the Calvin Tan who was extradited by the Hong Kong government. So we can conclude that he was the drug convict,” Villar said.
During the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum yesterday, BuCor spokesman Gabriel Chaclag said Tan is a Filipino and not a Chinese citizen as earlier reported.
Tan was a member of the Sputnik Gang, which clashed with the rival group Commando during the riot at the NBP’s maximum security compound.
The other inmates killed in the riot were Ace Pempena, Edgar Publico and Jonathan Rodriguez.
The BuCor said 62 other inmates were injured.
Villar said the inmates have not been allowed to leave their dormitories since the riot.
On Oct. 9, nine inmates were killed in a clash between the Sigue-Sigue Sputnik and Commando gangs.
Last Monday’s free-for-all was also caused by the two feuding gangs, according to the BuCor.
NBI probe
The DOJ has given the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) another month to determine if BuCor officials could be held liable for negligence for the Bilibid riots.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he has received a copy of the initial inquiry of the NBI into last month’s brawl.
“The report is not yet complete so I ordered the NBI to expand its probe to include Monday’s riot,” Guevarra said.
The NBI and BuCor are attached agencies of the DOJ.
Guevarra said it’s too early to tell if BuCor Director General Gerald Bantag could be held liable for the riots in Bilibid, pending results of the probe.
Signal jammers
The BuCor admitted that signal jammers in Bilibid are ineffective, allowing inmates to use gadgets despite heightened security.
Chaclag said some prisoners were able to record the riot using their smartphones.
He said the videos taken by the inmates helped the BuCor in investigating the brawl.
Chaclag said signal jammers at the national penitentiary are obsolete.
“The DOJ was supposed to install new equipment, but it was delayed because of the pandemic,” he said. – Robertzon Ramirez, Ralph Edwin Villanueva