JUSTICE Secretary Leila M. de Lima announced on Friday she has assigned a set of new guards at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), where 19 high-profile inmates are currently detained following the government’s crackdown against illegal activities at the national penitentiary.
De Lima told reporters that the new guards will be place under the direct supervision of the NBI Deputy Director for Intelligence Services Jose Doloiras.
De Lima said she designated a new team to guard the inmates after a recent series of surprise inspections yielded mobile phones and things they are prohibited access to as convicts.
“The entire NBI complement team assigned at the NBI detention facility have been relieved of their duties vis-á-vis said facilility, pending investigation,” she confirmed in a text message.
De Lima added: “DD Doloiras is also on top of the investigation into those recent discoveries of cell phones in both the regular detention facility and New Bilibid Prison [NBP] extension facility at NBI.”
The justice secretary said administrative sanctions may be imposed against the members of the previous team if evidence would show they connived with the inmate in smuggling the prohibited items.
Handheld devices were seized from the prison cells of some of the so-called Bilibid 19 and other high-profile detainees, like former Pagadian City Mayor Samuel Co and pyramiding scam suspect Jacob Rasuman. The items were seized during inspections of jail cell in mid-June.
The cell phones were discovered in various concealments: inside a secret compartment of a water cooler, a false bottom of a cooking utensil, underneath washing machines and between soles of shoes and slippers. De Lima earlier said a witness claimed the inmates—mostly convicted drug traffickers—paid P1.5 million to three to four agents tasked to regularly search and check the facility allegedly for every use of a cell phone.
She said the witness has already been placed under government protection.
Among the 19 high-profile inmates temporarily detained at the NBI facility were Peter Co, Amin Imam Boratong, Michael Ong, Willy Sy, Noel Martinez, Eugene Chua, Chua Sam Li, Vincent Sy, George Sy, Joel Capones, Herbert Colangco, Clarence Dongail, Tom Chua, Rommel Capones, Jojo Baligad, Willy Chua, Jacky King Sy, Herman Agojo and Benjamin Marcelo.