Correction and not torture should be the rule at the New Bilibid Prison because all Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) have human rights.
Senator Robin Padilla stressed this on Tuesday at the hearing of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights held at the New Bilibid Prison, regarding the mass grave found at a septic tank of the NBP.
“Ang BuCor po, noong panahon po namin, correction. Malalim ho ang ibig sabihin noon. Hindi na ho ito penitentiary. Ibig pong sabihin may human rights pa rin ang bilanggo, meron pa rin silang mga karapatan,” Padilla explained.
“Ang tinanggal lang natin sa kanila, kalayaan. Pero para mamuhay, hindi po natin tinatanggal ‘yan.”
“Ang tinanggal lang natin sa kanila, kalayaan. Pero para mamuhay, hindi po natin tinatanggal ‘yan. At ang mga pribilehiyong binibigay, yan po ay pinapayagan ng UN. ‘Pag sinabi po nating UN, meron po tayong mga guidelines sa mga prisoner,” the legislator stressed.
“Hindi po ibig sabihin niyan na kapag isang bilanggo, torture-in natin ‘yan pahihirapan natin, wala na pong hard labor ngayon. Ang BuCor, ibig sabihin noon ay rehabilitation. Pagka pinag-usapan natin ang rehabilitation may privileges po ‘yan,” the legislator added.
The lawmaker also pointed out this is why he cannot readily believe all reports about supposed abuses at the New Bilibid Prison.
The senator added the air must be cleared on the recent issues at Bilibid, noting he cannot discount that some of the reports may be “fake news.”
According to him, during the three-and-a-half years he spent at Bilibid, he managed to turn his life around.
Itong lugar na ito dito ko po nakita ang katahimikan sa buhay ko. Dito ko po nakita ang kapayapaan.”
“Ako po ay punong-puno pa ng kaligayahan sapagka’t muli akong nakatapak sa aking tirahan ng 3.5 taon. Itong lugar na ito dito ko po nakita ang katahimikan sa buhay ko. Dito ko po nakita ang kapayapaan,” Padilla said.
“Hindi ko po manamnam ang mga bagay na nababalitaan ko ngayon. Medyo malayo ito sa nakita ko noon. Kasi noon talagang gusto naming magbago,” he added.
But Padilla also urged the PDLs to cooperate in the investigation lest they and their fellow inmates lose their privileges – such as visitation rights – when controversies prompt NBP management to become strict.
“Tulungan nyo kami. Kailangan naming malaman kung saan napupunta itong bilanggo. Hindi kami titigil dito,” he said.
Padilla also urged the Bureau of Corrections to allow PDLs to have privileges if they cooperate.
“Malaki ang tulong niyan sa rehabilitation,” he concluded.
