BuCor lifts red alert at NBP, but still no visits allowed

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla. (File Photo: Boying Remulla/Facebook)

MANILA – Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. on Thursday lifted the code red status at the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City but jail visitations are still indefinitely suspended.

Supt Geraldo Aro, director for administration, in a memorandum, said the red alert status and cancellation of leave and off duty at the NBP camps were also lifted.

The heightened security at the NBP was due to the discovery of “mass graves” including human remains believed to be that of a missing person deprived of liberty (PDL).

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the discovery confirms “talks of mass graves inside” within the 10-hectare compound which houses around 29,000 inmates.

He described the situation as “dehumanized”.

“Di na siya within human bounds. nawawala na ang (It is no longer within human bounds. The identities are missing), they are treated as non-entities and it creates a formula for wrongdoing and wrong things to happen,” he added.

In the case of the missing PDL, Michael Catarroja, 25, the DOJ chief said, “talks were that he was not right in the head and had a lot of debts.”

Remulla said they are yet to finalize the number of bodies discovered in the open septic tank which had apparently been used as a dump for cadavers.