Bato dela Rosa to prison guards: ‘Wag matakot pumatay ng drug lord

Bureau of Corrections director Ronald dela Rosa on Tuesday urged prison guards not to be afraid to kill convicted drug lords and other criminals inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City if their own lives were placed on the line.

"Huwag kayong matakot na patayin ang mga drug lord. Dahil nga very powerful sila, maka-hire sila ng mga [killer] sa labas, pinapapatay nila 'yung mga corrections officer na hindi nag-gi-give-in sa kanilang mga demand," Dela Rosa said on Dobol B sa News TV.

"Sa ganu'ng sitwasyon, kung gusto talaga nila ng patayan, patayin kayo, bakit kayo matakot? Kayo ang nasa labas, sila ang nasa loob. Puwede niyo naman silang patayin sa loob kung palaging patayan ang gusto nila, 'di ba?" he added.

Dela Rosa said he visited on Monday a corrections officer who had not been able to walk after he was shot in the spinal column by inmates inside the NBP.

"Papayag ka lang ba na mamatay na lang 'yung ating mga corrections officer na pinapapatay ng mga tao sa loob?" the BuCor director said.

Dela Rosa said he will investigate on the prevalence of illegal drug trade in the country's national penitentiary, citing problems with the walls of NBP's maximum security compound which are near the access road.

He said outsiders could still deliver the illegal drugs to the prison by tossing them over the perimeter.

"Nafa-find out ko na may problema talaga sa perimeter. Kahit anong taas mo, kung i-slingshot 'yung droga, nakakapasok pa rin. Dahil ang tao ay nakakadikit sa wall. Ginawa kasing access road 'yung gilid ng wall ng maximum security compound."

"Hahanapan ko ng paraan, hindi puwedeng ipasara agad, magrereklamo 'yung mga tao na nakatira sa loob. Dapat lang talaga, i-condemn ito, at once na meron nang nakita nang ibang malilipatan na access road," Dela Rosa said.

Regarding the congestion of prisoners, Dela Rosa reiterated the construction of a mega jail facility in Nueva Ecija would be very costly.

"Napaka-ideal nu'n kung meron sa ating makukuhang pondo para diyan dahil it involves a very large amount of money. This is very ideal talaga. Mawawala talaga ang problema natin kung nadoon na sa facility na no contact policy sa mga visitors ng naka-maximum security compound."

Thus, Dela Rosa said the government is sticking with its plan to construct regional detention facilities as alternative solution.

"Maganda sana, pero wala talaga, hirap ang gobyerno na humanap ng pera. So ang ginawa na lang namin ngayon, ang alternate na intervention sa problema na ito is every year, sinasaksakan namin sa budget ng one additional facility na itatayo du'n sa mga regional prison outside of the Bilibid." —Jamil Santos/NB, GMA News