Better cells and living conditions, and separating the hardcore “crime lords” from the “general population” of the New Bilibid Prison.
These are among the urgent reforms that authorities must implement to prevent a repeat of attempts by Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) to escape or engage in illegal activities, Senator Robin Padilla said.
“Una, diyan kako ang magandang kalulugaran nila. Meron silang magandang selda, may oras para magpahangin. At higit sa lahat di sila overpopulated… Kaya po sana, maintindihan ng ating mga mambabatas na katulad ko na kailangan natin ayusin ang prison system natin,” Padilla said in an interview on SMNI a day after the Senate conducted a hearing at the New Bilibid Prison.
“Dapat iba ang kanilang kulungan, isolated, walang contact.”
“Ang dapat pagtuunan ng pansin, huwag isama ang hardcore criminal sa petty criminal. Matagal kong advocacy ‘yan. Hindi ko maintindihan bakit ang drug pusher na ‘yan, mga drug lord na ‘yan, ‘di ko maintindihan bakit sinasama sa NBP, dapat iba ang kanilang kulungan, isolated, walang contact,” the legislator stressed.
“Dapat may sariling kulungan sa maximum na walang kahalong ibang kaso,” the lawmaker added.
The senator noted inmates may go insane due to lack of sleep if the prisons are overcrowded. He said this is behind his advocacy to regionalize the NBP, so loved ones of inmates can have an easier time visiting them.
“Noong ako ay nakakulong diyan, kalahati (ng bilanggo ay) nakatulog, kalahati ang nakaupo.”
“Noong ako ay nakakulong diyan, kalahati (ng bilanggo ay) nakatulog, kalahati ang nakaupo. Una ang matatanda at maysakit. Pagbukas ng selda, ang matutulog naman ang hindi natulog. Sa loob ng CR may natulog. ‘Yan ang No. 1 torture diyan. Pag ‘di nakakatulog parang may tawag sa torture na ‘yan, sleep deprivation. ‘Yan kailangan maayos ang kanilang kulungan,” he explained.
Also, Padilla said hardcore criminals such as drug lords should be kept in “isolated” areas so they could not recruit other inmates into their “armies”.
“Ang mga yan nabubuhay sa contact. Ilalagay mo ‘yan sa Bilibid, pwede nilang gawing army,” he said.
Meanwhile, Padilla said he still could not believe some details of Michael Catarroja’s escape from NBP last July.
He said that while he will wait for the report of the BuCor and the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, he said Catarroja’s movie-like escape was “pambihira”.
“Ayokong pangunahan ang imbestigasyon, pero sa akin lang, hanggang sa oras na ito, isang mahiwagang pangyayari ang pagtakas ni Catarroja. Ako, hanggang sa oras na ito ‘di makapaniwala,” he concluded.
