Bato: Bilibid inmates control drug operations in Cebu

Dela Rosa

Some inmates have already been segregated for close monitoring especially the foreign detainees, who are believed to be drug lords.

Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said this in an interview on Sunday in Cebu after he revealed that someone from the jail facility in Muntinlupa City (New Bilibid Prison) was behind the proliferation of drugs in Cebu province.

“Kahibalo ko ug dili gikan sa Bilibid kundi ang nag-control naa sa Bilibid (I am aware that the drugs are not from the Bilibid, but the person controlling the drug operation is someone inside the jail),” said Dela Rosa, who was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte for the top position in BuCor last April 30.

Dela Rosa, however, refused to reveal the names of the inmates that he was referring to.

“Siya nag- control pero dili didto gikan physically ang drugs, naa sa gawas na. Sila lay nag-control together kon kinsay mo-deliver, modawat hangtod karon (He is the one controlling the operation. The drugs do not come from the prison but outside the prison. They control the operation until now together with the person who would deliver and receive the drugs),” he said.

Dela Rosa was invited to Cebu on Sunday to be one of the guest speakers during the celebration of the second anniversary of the Anti Crime and Community Emergency Response Team (Accert) at the Hoopsdome in Lapu-Lapu City.

Senior Supt. Lemuel Obon, Lapu-Lapu City Police chief, said that there were at least 500 people, mostly Accert volunteers and officials, at the event.

According to Obon, Accert is a a non-government organization that is recognized by the Philippine National Police as force multipliers, whose primary function is to assist authorities in their anti criminality programs and help the communities in times of emergency needs brought by calamities and disasters.

Meanwhile, Dela Rosa also laid out his senatorial seat plans.

He announced early this month to run as senator under the PDP-Laban party for the mid-term elections next year.

He said in an interview yesterday that if he would be elected as senator, he would push for the passage of the death penalty.

He, however, said that maintaining peace and order in the country would remain his top priority.