About 1,000 personnel of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City have been relieved from their posts following a gang fight inside the state penitentiary that left an inmate dead and nine others injured.
NBP deputy director Angelina Bautista said that the staff members were sacked for allegedly “conniving” with inmates. Among those relieved were the camp commander and officers who were on duty when the fight broke out.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Thursday said there could be more mass graves inside the maximum-security compound of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
“We think that we might find two more mass graves inside the maximum-security compound,” Remulla said in an interview with CNN Philippines.
The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) earlier said the incident stemmed from two members of the Bahala Na Gang and Batang City Jail who had a quarrel that was eventually settled before they parted ways. But one of the inmates pulled out a gun and started shooting, injuring fellow inmates.
During the commotion, another inmate was stabbed with an ice pick, killing him. But authorities are still confirming if the stabbing had anything to do with the fight.
Bautista admitted they have yet to determine which of the inmates started shooting.
A caliber .45 handgun with 12 rounds of ammunition was recovered after the fight, but Bautista said they have yet to determine if the gun had been used in the shooting.
On Wednesday, the Bureau of Corrections said it discovered human remains inside a septic tank at NBP’s maximum-security compound while its personnel were searching for a missing inmate.
Remulla said the decapitated body of the missing inmate, identified as Michael Angelo Cataroja, was found inside the compound of the Sputnik gang.
When the early stages of the search for Cataroja failed, BuCor sought the assistance of the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) K9 Task Force which led searchers to the septic tank at the maximum-security compound.
In the process, human remains were discovered and are now the subject of examinations by the National Bureau of Investigation.
“A lot of bones have been found inside the septic tank and it seems more can be found if we dig some more,” Remulla said.
The Justice Secretary said the two other places that could contain mass graves include another septic tank and a site he did not disclose. “The long-time inmates have provided that information.
But you have to match that kind of oral information with actual forensic findings. You cannot rely on that alone,” Remulla said.
As for Cataroja, Remulla said the inmate may have been killed due to his debts. “He allegedly had a lot of debts. He was also feeble-minded. He allegedly had some psychological problems. That’s what I was told,” he said.
Remulla said he summoned BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. to give a substantial report on the recent incidents at the NBP today (Friday).
Catapang yesterday lifted the code red status at the NBP in Muntinlupa City but jail visitations are still indefinitely suspended. Supt. Geraldo Aro, director for administration, said the red alert status and cancellation of leave and off-duty at the NBP camps were also lifted.