MANILA – Illegal drug trade remains rampant inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City with the national penitentiary’s hospital ward being used for transaction, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said.
According to Go, an inmate told him during his visit at NBP’s minimum security compound that convicted drug lords were posing as sick inmates to transact with their supposed visitors.
“Merong alleged report of corruption dito sa New Bilibid Prison hospital. Meron daw pong binebentang hospital pass at illegal drug trade continues in the NBP with the NBP hospital as the new venue for illegal drug transactions,” Go said.
The neophyte senator added that most of the drug deals were taking place in Medical ward 3 of Building 14 with those using the ward are said to be “triad members,” or their counterparts inside the national penitentiary.
Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, for his part, admitted that several high profile inmates at the national penitentiary were abusing hospital issuance of hospital passes during his time as prisons chief.
Dela Rosa, in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel, said there was a time that he moved a group of inmates to a building in Bilibid from a hospital where they were running illegal drug activities and other crimes.
“May impormasyon ako na itong mga drug lord na ito na hindi makapag-conduct ng kanilang business doon sa Building 14 dahil sa sobrang strikto, nagpapa-confine sa hospital kasi doon sa hospital libre silang makipaghalubilo sa ibang mga preso doon na kakutsaba nila sa negosyo sa droga,” Dela Rosa said.
It was revealed by a witness in the Senate that some corrupt officials of the Bureau of Corrections were selling hospital pass to some high profile inmates, including drug lords.
Aside from the “hospital pass for sale,” other source of corruption inside the NBP were “Good Conduct Time Allowance for sale,” conjugal visit as well as the entry of cellphones and television inside./PN
