De Lima: BuCor execs to answer for Bilibid contraband

MANILA, Philippines — Officials and personnel of the Bureau of Corrections, which runs the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, will be asked to explain contraband seized from inmates' cells.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima vowed to issue a show cause order on the agency employees following a raid into an illegal drug operation inside the maximum security prison on Monday.

Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police found illegal drugs, appliances, communications equipments, entertainment sets, cash, bathtubs and hidden pathways inside the rooms of 19 suspected drug lords detained in Bilibid.

"Depende sa sagot ma-determine kung sino ang kakasuhan ng administrative case," De Lima said in a state news report.

De Lima met with Corrections Director Franklin Bucayu on Tuesday and asked him to give her names of officials, personnel and guards assigned at the maximum security areas of the national penitentiary.

"We had a post operation assessment of the raid conducted. We had an inventory of the seized items and gave instructions on what to do," De Lima, who joined the raid, said.

The seized items were classified under illegal items, such as drugs and firearms, and under prohibited items, such as cash, air conditioning units, gadgets and liquor.

READ: Bilibid raid yields shabu, P2 M cash

The contraband will be used evidence in cases to be filed against the prison's personnel.

In a separate radio interview, De Lima vowed that some officials proven to be knowledgeable of the illicit operations inside the correctional facility will be held accountable.

"'Nagke-case building po ngayon ang NBI ... Malawakan po 'yung imbestigasyon ginagawa," De Lima said in a dzMM interview."