Philippines' Bilibid Drug Trade

An inquiry on Bilibid Drug Trade done ‘In aid of Legislation’ which means to help the legislators create laws in support of altering the existing condition of the prison system in the country and  NOT ‘of prosecution’ that is why most of the resource persons (esp. convicted drug personalities) were given immunity – whatever they have to reveal will not be used against them in court.

The recently concluded House Committee Hearing on Bilibid Drug Trade has yielded the REALITY behind drug proliferation in our country.  Summing it up:

Leniently manning the Authoritative Posts in running and supervising the National Prison (specifically Bilibid) has made drug trade inevitably existing mainly from the prisons as source point of transactions in the whole country. 

It was also concluded that Chinese Drug Lords are the main suppliers – finding out about floating drug laboratories in ships on sea dropping it off in large sealed heavy enough to sink containers to be fished-out by direct traders therein, it does not pass the scrutinizing of port authorities to be freely circulating around the country. What a wise tactic!

- Corruption in the System

Jayvee Sebastian, who is convicted of another case than drug-related was believed to be the latest frontrunner of the Drug Trade admittedly stated that the main culprit of the drug menace in the country is CORRUPTION from the lowest to the highest in ranks of the supposedly security guardians as well as administrative officials that instead of catching them while trading drugs had become their cohorts getting ‘payola’ bribe.

- Greed and Dirty Politics                       

National Bilibid Prison (NBP) is under the supervision of the Department of Justice, 

direct management of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCorr) with the intervention of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and Crime Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).  If these government agencies will be headed by unscrupulous people like what has allegedly happened during De Lima’s tenure as DOJ Secretary, the result is WORST – like where we are in right now.

 

- Connivance of Authorities

If there is no connivance anything would not be possible, there will always be the stop point but it is not hindered even by the Department of Justice.

It all boils down to corruption.

Generated Solutions

Signal Jammer

Because it was discovered that cellular phones can be brought-in secretly in many ways you can not imagine – in a slipper a whole cut beneath its back to fit the phone is really badly creative. DOJ Sec. Vitaliano Aguirre mentioned the recent acquisition of a costly but more powerful jammer.  The only setback is its effect on the surrounding community outside prison area - affecting phone signal.

Tighter Security

It is the famous SAF (Special Action Force) who has passed strict training and known for their professionalism, that is now guarding the prison.

Regionalize Prison

It was also suggested that the prison system in the country shall be decentralized for easier management not like what we have currently – few penitentiaries not found in every region and detention facilities only in every police precinct.

Since the maximum security prison is located only in Bilibid, the seized drug lords in different regions had a great rendezvous, giving them opportunity to work in large scale even recruiting non-drug-related convicted prisoners to join the prohibited drug trade like Jayvee Sebastian who is only convicted for kidnapping.

CCTV Cameras in all nooks of the Prison

It would serve as physical evidence and may hinder any crooked intention ONLY IF not corrupted!

Refresher Course

Refreshing the convicts of their rights, the prohibitions in the prison (acts, limitations and freedom while in the custody of law), likewise reviewing those in authority of their duties and responsibilities as well as their limitations too. For me, this should be added so no prisoner can be deprived of his right and no one in authority will be abusive. It is better to be done in presence of both parties so everybody is well aware of their respective rights.

Salary Hike

It is among the solutions President Duterte is aware of in combating the prevalence of corruption in government service.  Although not mentioned in the recently concluded hearing on Bilibid Drug Trade as one of the solutions, the president has promised to double the salary of government security forces (PNP and AFP) for them not to try illicit acts to augment their living conditions. This may be possible thru the all-out budget (to the single centavo) system the president wants to implement come 2017 (where the current admin’s proposed budget can be implemented).