Strange occurrences at Bilibid

Back Channel

By Alejandro Del Rosario

It’s really time to decongest the National Bilibid Prisons. There have been some strange occurrences going on there that are hard to explain.

The latest bizarre happening: High profile inmate Rolito Go went missing for two days together with his nephew nurse. A minimum security prisoner in one of the kubols (huts) inside the sprawling prison compound in Muntinlupa, Go claimed he and his nephew were kidnapped by a group of men who identified themselves as National Bureau of Investigation agents.

Pretending to be NBI agents, or real NBI agents? This question comes to mind in light of another case involving NBI agents accused by Japanese fugitive Norio Ohara of kidnapping her for ransom. The bombshell accusation resulted in the sacking of then-NBI Director Magtanggol Gatdula. With Justice Secretary Leila de Lima excluded as nominee for Supreme Court chief justice, she should focus on cleaning up the Bureau of Corrections and the NBI which are both under her department.

Go and his nephew insist they were taken by men who identified themselves as NBI agents on the pretext Go was needed at a court hearing.

If the men were not real NBI agents, how then were they able to enter the prison compound? There has to be some protocol and court papers shown prison authorities for the men to take custody of Go. Why would Go break out of prison? He’s due for parole in July next year having served more than half of his sentence. He has been diagnosed with colon cancer.

(Go’s allegation that he was abducted and his relatives’ claim there was a ransom demand for P1 million by his kidnappers, should not be totally dismissed. His allegation is serious and must be looked into by an independent DOJ panel. Although Go had earlier escaped several years ago —he was recaptured in Pampanga —investigators are asking why he would risk the prospect of parole next year.)

Because of this latest embarrassment, President Aquino has fired Bureau of Corrections Director Gaudencio Pangilinan. This, even as the Justice department is still investigating anomalies in the awarding of contracts for food supplies of inmates.

Last year, Bucor Director Ernesto Diokno had to resign when convicted killer Antonio Leviste went missing. In fairness to retired General Diokno, he was never involved in any shady deal at the NBP and he had hardly warmed his seat when the Leviste caper happened.. He had heard about Leviste’s frequent furlough and warned the former governor and businessman not to abuse his living-out privilege. Leviste didn’t heed the warning and Diokno became a casualty of a practice allowed VIP prisoners long before he assumed the Bucor post.

Go and Leviste are considered minimum security prisoners because of their age and deteriorating health. They, like other moneyed inmates are accorded VIP treatment by prison officials. They are kept separate from the rest of the prison population. Allowed to live outside their cells, their “kubols” are fully furnished with a refrigerator, television set and a comfortable bed with full mattress. Former VIP inmate and Zamboanga congressman Romeo Jalosjos, who was paroled by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, enjoyed all these comforts of home. He even had a tennis court constructed at his own expense giving his “munting lupa” (small piece of earth) the appearances of a country club. The rest of the detainees who can’t afford the perks suffer the congestion and the bad food. What ever happened to the government’s plan to farm out some of the minimum security inmates to a regional prison colony?

Meanwhile, President Aquino has raised the reward to P2 million for the capture of the following fugitives: Ex-general Jovito Palparan, Globe Asiatique realtor Delfin Lee, former congressman Ruben Ecleo, former Palawan governor Joel Reyes and his brother, former Coron town mayor, Mario,.Jr. That the President had to raise the price on the heads of these high-profile fugitives is an indictment itself on the competence of law enforcers.

Palparan is accused in the disappearance of two UP female students while the Reyes brothers are the principal suspects in the assassination of broadcaster, environmentalist Jerry “Doc” Ortega. Ecleo was indicted in the murder of his wife.

More VIP prisoners for the “big house” in Muntinlupa. That is, if they haven’t left the country yet.