PNP to augment cops in penal colonies

FILE: PARTNERS IN REFORM. BuCor Director General Gerald Bantag (5th from left) poses with officials of agencies who were awarded for their assistance to the BuCor in demolishing illegal structures at the maximum-security compound of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), during the simple rites on Monday (Oct. 28, 2019). One of the awardees is PNP Directorial Staff chief, Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar (4th from left), who vowed to provide more police personnel to help in securing correction facilities in the country. (Contributed photo via PNA)

MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday vowed to augment police personnel in penal institutions throughout the country.

Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, Chief of the PNP Directorial Staff, made the remark after receiving an award from the Bureau of Corrections for his valuable support to the successful demolition of unauthorized shanties at the maximum-security compound of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.

“Ang NCRPO kasama ang lahat ng mga agencies na tumulong sa demolition ng illegal structures ay nagpapsalamat. Pero gusto kong banggitin na kami ang dapat na magpasalamat sa BuCor sa pangunguna ni Dir. Gen. (Gerald) Bantag dahil nabigyan kami ng pagkakataon na tumulong para maayos itong problema na ang sambayanan din ang matutulungan. (The NCRPO and other government agencies are thankful but I want to emphasize that we should be grateful to Dir. Gen. Bantag’s leadership as we have been given the opportunity to help resolve this problem of the community),” Eleazar said.

Eleazar is among the awardees recognized by the agency who helped in efforts to reform the New Bilibid Prison in the wake of the scandal that hounded the institution over irregularities in the implementation of the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) for convicted felons.

Eleazar said that he could serve as the voice of the BuCor in the PNP in instituting reforms in all penal colonies under the agency.

“With the current leadership (of the PNP), they could approach us and tell us what kind of assistance they need not only at the NBP but also in other penal colonies,” said Eleazar.

Aside from the NBP, other penal colonies under the BuCor are the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City; Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan, Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro, San Ramon Prison and Penal farm in Zamboanga City, Leyte Regional Prison in Abuyog town and the Davao Prison and Penal Farm.

Eleazar believes that if convicted drug lords and other crime leaders could still run their syndicates inside the NBP, there is a strong possibility that some convicts also do the same in other penal colonies.

“We share the vision of the Director-General Bantag to reform the Bureau of Corrections because at the end of the day, it is the Filipino people who would benefit if we were able to deny these convicted drug lords and criminal gang leaders the opportunity to run their groups while in detention,” said Eleazar.

As director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), Eleazar sought approval from, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año for the deployment of 551 policemen based on Bantag’s request for manpower.

Bantag immediately started the purging at the NBP by subjecting all prison guards to strict vetting process to determine if they could still be trusted to be employed at the NBP.

In the meantime, it was NCRPO personnel who took over the job of the prison guards.

“We believe that the PNP can really help them especially in solving illegal drugs problems wherein one of the main supply systems is through the convicted drug lords,” said Eleazar.

Eleazar said there is a need to extend full support to the BuCor, noting most of the shabu supply in Metro Manila that came from the syndicates are still being managed by convicted drug lords inside the NBP.

Eleazar also initiated the alliance of four law enforcement agencies in Metro Manila amid criticisms of lack of coordination that failed to stop illegal drug operations.

The quad-intel force will provide the BuCor with information about the criminal groups’ operations that are possibly connected with convicted felons inside the NBP.