Some 158 jail officers under the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) are now under investigation after drug convict Yu Yuk Lai admitted that an officer sold her the mobile phone that she earlier surrendered.
Correctional Institute for Women (CIW) Acting Superintendent Angie Bautista said that those who would be “found to be in cahoots with prisoners or involved in corrupt practices” might face appropriate charges which may lead to their relief, re-assignment to other penal colony or worst, dismissal.
Last week, the septuagenarian Yu, who is currently detained at BuCor’s CIW in Mandaluyong City, surrendered her mobile phone to Bautista following an order to immediately yield all the contrabands in their possession.
“Prior to the surrender, I told 3,000 PDLs (persons deprived of liberty) to voluntarily surrender all the contraband they were hiding. Or else, if we find any contraband, I will cancel all the privileges of inmates in that dormitory,” Bautista said.
This was the reason why Yu surrendered her mobile phone, Bautista said.
According to Bautista, Yu claimed that a CIW jail officer sold her the phone “a very long time [ago]” for P5,000. She added that she would also pay a P200 daily fee for the privilege to use it.
However, the drug convict did not identify the said officer.
Following Yu’s surrender of her mobile phone, several inmates also gave up theirs, as well as other contrabands, including knives and forks.
In early November, when Bautista assumed office, she made the visiting days to inmates from five to six.
She also allowed the PDLs a five-minute daily “regulated” phone calls to their families and loved ones.
“Once you show the inmates that their rights are being respected in prison, they will be more than willing to follow orders,” Bautista said.
Yu, a Chinese-Filipino, was convicted of drug trafficking in September 2001 after she was arrested in 1998 while delivering several kilos of shabu to an undercover agent in exchange for P2 million worth of casino chips. She was sentenced to suffer reclusion perpetua. (Joseph Pedrajas)
