Biilibid Prison Case Study

VIP TREATMENTS: SERVING JUSTICE IN AN INJUSTICE WAY The New Bilibid Prison (NBP), formerly known as Old Bilibid Prison, is one of the major facilities under the supervision of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), an agency under the Department of Justice. Built in Manila, it was the primary correctional facility in the country since 1847. And starting 1936, it was relocated in Muntinlupa City as a main station for male offenders throughout the country. (“New Bilibid Prison”, 2002). But according to Diola (2014), different alleged news were aired in Philippine television these past few months due to special treatments received by high profile inmates inside the prison. It became the current issue that catches the interest of the Filipino community.
Roque Merdeqia, Jr. of Philippines National Police’s Anti Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force Legal and Investigation Division was tasked by Justice Sec. Leila De Lima to conduct an investigation inside the NBP. Upon doing so, he confirmed the speculation that some high profit inmates received special treatment inside the prison. He noticed the presence of luxury items in some cells. These cells are said to be equipped with 42-inch television sets, laptop, computers and Wi-Fi connection. Merdegia also confirmed that they received reports that some drug lords inmate inside the prison can still continue their illegal activities (“Drug lords get VIP treatment inside Bilibid”, 2014). Chinese drug lords can still operate through a mobile phone. They have their own network connection that the management didn’t know how they get access to. It was also aired on the national television that some high profile inmates like Ricardo Camata was allowed by Bilibid officials to leave the penitentiary to go to Metropolitan Hospital in Manila for a lung ailment without permit from the DOJ. It was also reported that he was visited by television personality Krista Miller as seen in the surveillance video the hospital. Miller denied this accusation and said that she was only selling real estate. (Pilapil,
In an article written by Tupas (2014), Department of Justice relieved Acting NBP Hospital Head Gloria Achazo Garcia, NBP Hospital Medical Specialist I Ma. Cecilia Villanueva and NBP Escort Unit Gabriel Magan due to offsite hospitalization of Ricardo Camata. A fact finding committee was constituted by Secretary De Lima so that similar cases of special treatments will be investigated. The committee was headed by Baraan. Even more drug lord-related reports were submitted by the committee to the DOJ. Aside from Camata, Aming Buratong, the operator of Shabu Tiangge, was brought to Medical City last May 13 due to coronary heart disease and a liver ailment. Then, last May 27, leader of the bank robbery gang Herbert Collangco alias Ampang was taken to Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Alabang. De Lima made a promise that they will determine any administrative and/or criminal liability of BuCor officials and personnel involved in these incidents. The committee will also investigate other BuCor facilities to know some similar cases. (Rappler, 2014) It is clearly evident that the NBP management and the DOJ are both making necessary actions to solve these ‘VIP treatments’. But the fact still remains that some Filipinos will always have their suspicions regarding how the judicial system in the Philippines is applied because of what happened. I hope that it will serve as a lesson for the concerned government