Dela Rosa wants to pull out SAF troops from Bilibid

Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa said he wants to pull out members of the Special Action Force (SAF) assigned to the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

According to a report on Unang Balita on Wednesday, Dela Rosa said this is to prevent them from having to take the blame for the reported resurgence of the illegal drug trade inside the NBP.

"Sila mismo rin gusto umalis doon dahil wala silang complete control doon sa mga Bilbid drug lords...Ang kanilang apprehension, baka masisira lang kami dito sir, kung nandito kami tapos magpapatuloy 'yung drug trade na 'yan dahil hindi rin namin mako-kontrol," Dela Rosa said in a press conference on Tuesday.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II earlier admitted that prison officials have observed "some sort of resurgence" of the narcotics business a "few months ago."

"I have received reports that there were some reactivation and we are doing something about this. We are going to end this some sort of resurgence by some inmates," Aguirre told reporters.

"I talked to the Director General (Bureau of Corrections' Benjamin delos Santos) last Saturday and we know what we are going to do."

The PNP chief said SAF troops do not control the entire NBP; they only have control over Building 14 and the maximum security compound.

Aguirre said the resurgence may have something to do with the "familiarity" of the SAF troopers who have been at the national penitentiary for six months, with the inmates behind the illegal trade.

Dela Rosa said that due to the reshuffling of inmates, some known drug lords were transferred to a different building, noting that the SAF troops will not be able to track the said resurgence of the illegal trade from there.

The Justice chief on Tuesday issued Department Order 457 directing the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a probe and possibly file administrative and criminal cases against those responsible for the resurgence. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/KG/KVD, GMA News