Inmate stabs prison guard in Bilibid

A PRISON guard at the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) was wounded after he was stabbed by a detainee on Thursday, September 12.

An initial report from the Mandaluyong police identified the victim as Correction Inspector Edgardo Ferrer.

Citing the police report, Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said Ferrer was stabbed around 8:40 a.m. Thursday by an inmate who was allegedly suffering from schizophrenia.

Ferrer sustained a stab wound in the lower abdomen.

He was rushed to the NBP Hospital for treatment.

At the Senate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the incident.

Sotto made the manifestation during the resumption of the Senate committee on justice and human rights hearing into the implementation of the good conduct time allowance and alleged irregularities at the national penitentiary.

Sotto noted that the guard, who is in critical condition, is the father of a member of the Senate security.

"I cannot help but think of the probable connection (with the ongoing Senate inquiry into the irregularities in the Bilibid). Considering we have some inmates with us now, I suggest a full-blown investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation," he said.

"We are told that the guard was stabbed by an inmate. Sinalubong lang siya and then ang sabi, 'Pare, papatayin na kita.' And then he stabbed him," Sotto added.

NBI Director Dante Gierran, who was in the Senate as a resource person, said they will coordinate with the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), which is conducting an investigation into the incident.

Citing a report on the stabbing incident, BuCor officer-in-charge Melvin Buenafe said the inmate was admitted to the psychiatric ward for schizophrenia on July 23, 2019. He was discharged a week ago, on September 3, 2019.

The inmate is currently in the disciplinary ward, he added. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo/SunStar Philippines)