ONE of the four persons killed in the latest riot inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) had been convicted for running a large manufacturing facility for illegal drugs in Mandaue City in Cebu, an official of the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Wednesday, November 11, 2020.
Calvin de Jesus Tan, who was reported to have financed the establishment of a mega shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) laboratory in Mandaue City, was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment along with 10 others in 2012.
DOJ Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar identified the three other fatalities during the riot as Ace P. Pempena, Edgar Publico, and Jonathan G. Rodriguez.
A personnel of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and 62 other inmates were wounded.
The riot broke out between the Sputnik and Commando gangs inside the maximum security compound at 8:39 a.m. Monday, November 9, exactly a month after a riot between the same gangs killed nine people.
Villar said Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has already ordered the conduct of investigation into the two incidents.
“Thirteen deaths are too many. Even one death is not excusable. No death is excusable,” she said.
Villar said the riot occurred despite the measures undertaken by the BuCor.
“After the October 9 riot, BuCor conducted Oplan Galugad to try to get all improvised weapons that the PDLs (persons deprived of liberty) managed to make. However, it seems that was not effective with the guns fired this week,” said Villar.
BuCor also conducted “Oplan Bura Tatak” to remove the gang marks on the inmates in a bid to eradicate the culture of revenge inside the facility.
Villar stressed the need to provide additional custodial personnel to prevent similar incidents.
The NBP houses 29,500 prisoners in the NBP, who outnumber the custodial personnel.
At present, the ratio is one custodial personnel for every 60 prisoners. Villar said the ideal ratio is only seven prisoners per custodial personnel.
“We really need to hire more custodial personnel,” Villar said. (SunStar Philippines)