Bilibid raid yields shabu, P2 M cash

MANILA, Philippines - At the national penitentiary, privileged inmates stay in carpeted cells with air-conditioning, flat-screen TV, music bar and even a sauna and jacuzzi.

Raiding teams discovered this as they swooped down on the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa yesterday, seizing illegal drugs and luxury items, including five Rolex watches, from high-profile inmates.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, accompanied by operatives from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Philippine National Police (PNP), held a surprise inspection at the NBP’s maximum security compound amid reports that illegal drug trade thrives in the national penitentiary.

At least 400 officers from the PNP’s Special Weapons and Tactics unit and Special Action Force joined the raid.

Law enforcers confiscated methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu from convicted drug lord Peter Co in his detention facility.

Police also discovered wads of cash amounting to more than P2 million, air-conditioning units, entertainment appliances, expensive liquor and a sauna facility in the rooms of high-value inmates.

Apart from Co, De Lima said 18 other convicted drug lords were plucked out from the maximum security compound.

They were Eugene Chua, Chua Sam Li, Vincent Sy, George Sy, Joel Capones, Herbert Colangco, Peter Co, Amin Imam Boratong, Clarence Dongail, Tom Chua, Rommel Capoines, Jojo Baligad, Willy Chua, Michael Ong, Jacky King Sy, Willy Sy, Noel Martinez and Herman Agojo.

They control about 20 to 50 percent of the illegal drug trade in the state penitentiary, De Lima said.

She said they would be transferred to an isolated site at the NBP extension facility in Manila to cripple them and stop them from plying their drug trade.

She said these drug lords would be stripped of privileges.

“We have to take them out of NBP and transfer them to a facility where they would be incapacitated from dealing with syndicates,” De Lima told reporters.

“This is sort of a test. We want to see if the drug trade in the country will go down after this because law enforcers are saying that a significant portion of the illegal drug industry is inside NBP and controlled by these people,” she said.

According to De Lima, the raid gave face to an open secret – that drug lords continue operating shady businesses despite serving time in the state penitentiary.

She said that despite raids and exposes on anomalies at the NBP, wealthy inmates continue to receive special privileges.

‘Inmates forewarned’

 Operatives of the NBI, PDEA and PNP roused the inmates from sleep inside fully furnished and air-conditioned kubols.

“They showed slight resistance... it seemed that the inmates had been forewarned about the raid by those in cahoots with them,” De Lima said. “We are not discounting that possibility.”

When the kubols were opened, De Lima was shocked at the luxurious detention facilities, which she thought had been dismantled.

“I am completely disgusted. I am beyond disgusted. It seems that this is just a tip of the iceberg. They said these kubols had been dismantled. Apparently they are all lies,” De Lima said.

To date, there are 3,790 kubols in the NBP.

It was the second time that De Lima led a raid on the NBP’s maximum security compound.

In 2011, she conducted a surprise inspection of the NBP after former Batangas governor Antonio Leviste was caught going in and out of the prison compound.

For his part, Bureau of Corrections Director Franklin Bucayu said charges would be slapped against the convicts who were found in possession of illegal drugs. – With Perseus Echeminada