The Department of Justice on Monday directed the Bureau of Corrections to return the high-profile inmates who earlier testified against detained Senator Leila de Lima to their original cells at the maximum-security compound in the New Bilibid Prison.
In Department Order No.496, Justice Secretary Vitalliano Aguirre II ordered BuCor officer-in-charge Rey Ragaas to immediately return the convicted drug lords from the medium security compound to their original detention facility.
Among those transferred to the medium security compound—a less secured facility in NBP as compared to the maximum security compound—were inmates Vicente Sy, Jojo Baligad, and Peter Co, three of the key witnesses in the drug trafficking cases against De Lima.
Aguirre said the inmates were transferred from Buildig 14 at the maximum security compound in December last year under BuCor director Benjamin Delos Santos, who recently resigned from his post following the resurgence of illegal drugs trade inside the national penitentiary.
“All subsequent transfer of the high-profile inmates and/or inmates convicted of offenses related to illegal drugs within the NBP shall be signed and approved by the Secretary of Justice,” the DOJ chief said.
In the same order, Aguirre also directed Ragaas to look into the transfer and submit an inventory of all inmates involved and the reasons for their transfer.
Aguirre gave the BuCor official 10 days to submit a report to his office.
Prior to their testimonies against De Lima in the House of Representatives inquiry on the illegal drugs trade in NBP, eight convicted drug lords led by Herbert Colangco and Noel Martinez were transferred to the facility controlled by the Intelligence Service of the AFP (ISAFP) in Camp Aguinaldo in September last year.
Some high-profile inmates who testified against De Lima—including drug lord Jaybee Sebastian—remained in the NBP and figured in a riot later in the same month.
Delos Santos resigned from his post last July 13 after Aguirre revealed that the illegal drug trade has resumed inside the NBP.
Saying the resurgence of drug trade has made his position irrelevant, the retired police general said his resignation was irrevocable and effective immediately.
Aguirre asked Delos Santos to stay in his position until President Duterte decides on his resignation, but the BuCor chief has not reported to work after filing his resignation. Delos Santos, Aguirre and the president are members of the Lex Talionis fraternity in San Beda College law school.
Delos Santos served the bureau for eight months since his appointment in November last year.
His resignation came after Sec. Aguirre ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to probe the resurgence of drug trade in the NBP.
Aguirre had ordered NBI Director Dante Gierran to determine how the illegal drug trade returned and file the appropriate administrative and criminal cases against those responsible.
The DOJ chief has confirmed the resurgence of illegal drug trade in the NBP and bared plans to replace the contingency of Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) guarding the national penitentiary.
Aguirre also said that a high-profile inmate continued his illegal drug trade operations despite the crackdown by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and that there are “new leaders” who joined the trade.