MANILA, Philippines — The wall constructed by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) along a road leading to a Department of Justice’s housing project in the New Bilibid Prison, which blocked residents’ access to the city proper of Muntinlupa will be removed, DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra said yesterday.
Guevarra said the BuCor agreed to replace the wall with a control gate that could be accessed by pedestrians.
“Following consultations with the DOJ, the BuCor will remove the roadblock built in Katarungan Village Phase 1 and 2 as soon as a gate has been put up,” he said.
Guevarra said a gate would be placed near the concrete bridge where the BuCor dug a hole last Friday.
“Once the gate is in place, the BuCor will remove the concrete barriers so pedestrians can pass through,” he said.
The BuCor is an attached agency of the DOJ.
Aside from putting up a gate, Guevarra said the BuCor might close some of the interior access roads within the Bilibid compound for security reasons.
“But the closure of these access roads will not affect residential communities,” Guevarra said.
The BuCor constructed walls to close Insular Prison Road, which leads to the government’s housing project Southville 3 and to the residential community of Type B in March and June, respectively.
On Friday night, the BuCor attempted to build another wall to restrict access of residents of Katarungan Village Phase 1 and 2 to the city proper. Irate residents tore down the wall.
Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi said the BuCor did not seek permit from the city government before building the wall.
The city council had passed six resolutions on the matter, one of which declared BuCor Director General Gerald Bantag persona non grata.
Bantag had asked the local government of Muntinlupa to reconsider its resolution declaring him persona non grata, Guevarra said.