Public Domain Image - Incoming BuCor chief revealed that drug lords in Bilibid pay up to P1 million to sneak in cellphones
- Drug lords allegedly use cellphones inside the national penitentiary to continue their illegal operations
- Over 1,000 BuCor employees are also allegedly involved in corruption
Incoming Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Maj. Gen. Alexander Balutan, who will begin his duty in August this year, revealed that big-time drug lords at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa are willing to pay up to P1 million in bribes just to sneak in cellphones in the national penitentiary.
Balutan said that cellphones are used by the drug lords in order to continue running their illegal operations even from behind bars.
He disclosed that the P1 million bribe just to bring in a cellphone is small compared to the millions more they earn from the drug trade.
“Walang kuwenta ito kung ikukumpara mo sa mga tini-trade nilang drugs. O-order sila sa China ng mga [It is nothing compared to the drugs they trade. They would order from China around] two hundred kilos, that’s worth more or less P200 million. What is one million?” Balutan told GMA News.
Even before ascending to his post Balutan also revealed that he already has a list of around 1,000 personnel at the BuCor allegedly involved in corruption. Among them are some prison superintendents who serve as the highest ranking officials in a prison facility.
The officers involved in corruption constitute about a third of the whole agency, which currently has 3,000 personnel assigned to seven jail facilities.
Balutan insists he is willing to fire erring employees.
“Sibakin natin. Dapat sibakin kahit sino pa siya. [Let’s fire them. We have to fire them no matter who they are.] I have the backing of the President. Sinong matakot? [Who is afraid?]” he said.
The incoming BuCor chief is also considering transferring high profile inmates to detention facilities run by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in order for the drug lords to be cut off from their contacts and networks in the outside world.
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