Bato tells drug lords inside Bilibid: ‘Ako ang siga, hindi kayo’

^{Video: Julius Villarosa, GMA News}

Dead serious in putting a stop to the illicit drug trade inside prison facilities, newly appointed Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Ronald dela Rosa confronted big time drug lords at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) on his first day in office. 

After attending his first flag-raising ceremony as BuCor director general, the former Philippine National Police chief went to building 14 of the NBP where drug lords and other high-risk inmates are incarcerated.

“Kakausapin ko kayo, lalaki sa lalaki,” Dela Rosa told 60 convicted prisoners, some of whom are allegedly involved in big time drug trade even behind bars.

Raising his voice and pointing a finger at the inmates who were lined up before him, Dela Rosa said: “Ako wala akong pakialam kung mayaman, marami kayong pera, siga kayo ha! Dito, right here right now, ako ang siga dito ha?! Ako ang siga, hindi kayo.”

Based on previous intelligence reports gathered by various sources, some convicted drug lords are feared even by prison guards simply because they have money and power to order the killing of anybody who stood in their way.

Former PNP chief Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa confronts drug lords and other high-profile inmates at New Bilibid Prison on his first day as head of the Bureau of Corrections on Monday, May 7, 2018. Jun Veneracion

Dela Rosa vowed to use violence to fight violence, saying “Kung kinakailangan kong manakit para mahinto ang kasamaan, gagawin ko yun.”

To avert violent confrontations, Dela Rosa asked the drug lords to just stop.  He said “kaya ko kayo hinaharap dito kasi gusto ko mag-usap tayo lalaki sa lalaki.”

He added, “Kaya natin ihinto ang problema sa droga dito? Kaya, sir! Ha? Kaya, sir!”

Familiar faces, familiar names

In his surprise visit, Dela Rosa saw familiar faces and heard familiar names, singling out Peter Co and Jaybee Sebastian, two alleged drug lords who had appeared before congressional investigations on the drug problem that has long plagued the NBP.

Dela Rosa asked: “Ano masasabi mo Peter Co? Patuloy pa rin?” Co replied, “Hindi po.”

Then he turned to Sebastian, “Ikaw, Jaybee Sebastian?”

“Matagal na tumigil,” Sebastian responded with a straight face while looking directly at Dela Rosa.

But Dela Rosa said “it remains to be seen” if the drug lords would be  true to their word.

Prior to talking to the inmates at the heavily-guarded building 14, Dela Rosa spoke to the BuCor personnel, appealing to the 2,400 officers and men to cooperate in his effort to eliminate corruption in the bureau.

He also asked them to remain unfazed in their campaign to keep the big time drug lords in check.

“Takot kayong patayin nila?” Dela Rosa asked.  In unison, they retorted, “No, sir!”

“Oh sila nakakulong puwede mo na silang patayin di ba? Bakit pa hintayin na patayin kayo? Nandyan lang sila sa loob,” Dela Rosa added. — RSJ, GMA News