Senators were baffled after finding out yesterday that the Bureau of Corrections was feeding each of its at least 3,200 inmates with a measly P39 daily budget.
This was bared during the Senate Committee on Justice eighth hearing on the corruption issues hounding the BuCor which evolved from its inquiry on the abuse of the Good Conduct Time Allowance law.
Angelina Bautista, a caterer for the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City, said they were chosen by the BuCor to provide food for the prisoners worth P39 each every day.
“(For) the whole day: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” Bautista said when asked by Sen. Richard Gordon, committee chairman, to clarify the amount.
Bautista said her catering business V&J Trading was awarded with a P21-million contract, which lasted from July to December in 2018.
The Commission on Audit earlier flagged the BuCor for tapping the services of V&J and another caterer for the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City despite failing to comply with food safety requirements and extending their contracts without the approval of the Department of Justice.
CoA Director Irma Besas told senators that the V&J also lacked documentary requirements and failed their list of raw materials to “satisy if P39 is really worth a meal.”
Sen. Panfilo Lacson questioned the P39-per-prisoner-day budget for the meals of the CIW inmates, saying that Congress had allotted a daily subsistence allowance of P60 per Person Deprived of Liberty under the 2018 General Appropriations Act.
“Bakit papakainin mo preso P39 a day na meals, bayad na binibigay ng gobyerno ay P60, at least noong 2018, increased to P70 in 2019? Di ko ma-reconcile bigay nyo preso P39 a day worth of meals,” Lacson said, asking where the P21 balance went.
In response, Bautista turned to the BuCor, saying they were forced to trim down their prices so that they could win the bidding as the lowest bidder.
BuCor Deputy Director General Melvin Buenafe Ceo IV said their “policy” is to return the remaining amount to the inmates in the form of food or reallocate this to fund prisoner’s activities inside the State penitentiary.
Asked by senators, however, Besas said the remaining amount was reverted to the National Treasury in 2018.
