The National Capital Region Police Office has deployed a battalion-size police strike force at the New Bilibid Prisons to assist in the conduct of special operations inside the corruption-tainted detention facility amid the aggressive and massive reform programs being planned by Bureau of Corrections Director General Gerald Bantag.
NCRPO director Police Major Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said that the 551-strong NCRPO strike force will also help in securing Bantag and other personnel of the BuCor who would implement drastic changes against erring and Very Important Person convicts inside the Bilibid in Muntinlupa City.
“Director General Bantag has requested the NCRPO for augmentation to implement his reforms. We thank him for trusting us and in return I assured him that the NCRPO will be his partner to ensure that all the instructions given to him by President Duterte would be effectively carried out,” said Eleazar.
But Eleazar explained that the NCRPO strike force at the Bilibid will just be temporary until such time that Bantag creates his own.
Once Bantag handpicks his own men to form his own NBP strike force, Eleazar said that their role would be providing the training and training venue at the NCRPO headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.
Bantag was appointed as BuCor director general because of his tough leadership style which fits Duterte’s choice to carry out drastic reform programs at the NBP.
The NBP has gained notoriety over the years for massive corruption that include special favors for rich inmates, including convicted drug lords.
Instead of tapping existing NBP guards, Bantag chose to get manpower from the NCRPO and from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology over trust issue.
Bantag reportedly believes that almost all of the NBP personnel are already compromised due to deeply-rooted corruption inside.
Eleazar sent a total of 551 NCRPO policemen composed of three officers, all with the rank of captain, and 548 Police Non-Commissioned Officers.
In a meeting Friday at the NBP, Bantag briefed Eleazar of the security plans he crafted not only to ensure peace and order at the NBP but also to get rid of the modus operandi of convicted felons, particularly those engaged in illegal drugs activities. (Aaron Recuenco)
