De Lima orders BuCor chief to explain ‘Bilibid tunnel’

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MANILA — Justice Secretary Leila M. de Lima on Monday ordered Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Franklin Bucayu to explain on the reported “tunnel” discovered inside the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) Compound in Muntinlupa City.

The so-called “tunnel” is proximate to Building 11 and the lethal injection room, as well as adjacent to the prison cell of convicted drug lord Amin Buratong.

Based on reports, three pieces of baby armalite were also found in the said tunnel allegedly owned by a certain alias “JV” of the “Commando Gang”.

In the initial information from Bucayu, the said tunnel is an “old hole” which is already clogged.

The “old hole” was discovered after the conduct of a pipe-laying project by the Maynilad Water Services (Maynilad) inside the Bilibid Compound last week.

When the contractor of Maynilad coordinated with the officials of the NBP, the said tunnel was described as a “dead or old drainage”.

It was earlier reported in 2002 that a tunnel from the Maximum Security Compound towards the death row was discovered by authorities.

In the death row, there was already a nearby drainage that can be utilized as an exit point from the NBP.