Almost a year after authorities raided the villas of high-profile inmates, the smuggling of firearms and gadgets inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) has remained unabated.
Yesterday, 18 teams from the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), Philippine National Police-Special Weapons and Tactics (PNP-SWAT) team and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) stormed the maximum security compound of the NBP and confiscated cash, firearms and electronic gadgets from the “kubols”.
This was the second raid at the NBP since the murder of convicted jail warden Charlie Quidato of the Commando Gang last month.
NBP spokesman Robert Olaguer said the joint Bucor-PNP-PDEA raided dorms 2, 5, and 9, where jailhouse gangs Sigue-sigue Sputnik, Commando Gang, De Cuerna, and Genuine Ilocano are staying.
“I think matagal nang nakatago yung mga firearms. It took years para maipon yun. Now lang natin nadidiscover. May mga info kasi na sa inmates din galing,” Olaguer said.
Also seized were sex toys, drug paraphernalia, over 60 improvised bladed weapons, wooden knuckles, LCD television, personal refrigerator, cellular phones, chargers and airsoft guns.
Authorities also confiscated a total of P140,000 cash in P1,000 denomination.
One of the inmates also had a Civet cat, locally known as musang.
On Oct. 27, Caguioa ordered Bucor Director General Ricardo Rainier Cruz III to investigate the continued entry of contrabands, inside the NBP.
“I directed the conduct of an independent investigation on the possible administrative and criminal liabilities of NBP personnel and inmates for the entry of the contrabands in the prison facility,” he said. (LEONARDO POSTRADO)