BuCor chief Faeldon cancels privileges of 45,000 prisoners nationwide

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Director General Nicanor Faeldon on Tuesday cancelled the privileges of over 45,000 inmates nationwide, amid the supposed incessant entry of various contraband items into penal institutions, especially New Bilibid Prison.

"Effective today, all privileges will be cancelled," Faeldon said in Jun Veneracion's report in GMA's 24 Oras.

Visitations and recreational activities of inmates such as playing basketball will no longer be allowed.

All prisoners detained in seven penal colonies nationwide will be affected by the move, which BuCor expects to draw clamor from the inmates and their families.

Faeldon said that he was dismayed because he previously spoke with the leaders of prisoners to cooperate with authorities but they continued with their illegal activities.

"So 'yung initially na 100 percent na usapang maginoo eh bumababa nang bumababa kasi hindi naman sila seryoso sa pagtulong na i-police because we asked them to police their ranks," he said.

Drug convict Rustico Ygot, who was detained in the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison, allegedly managed to make a drug transaction with his contacts in Cebu using an internet connection.

A mobile phone was recovered inside his prison cell on Monday.

Ygot was transferred to a preventive cell for closer monitoring.

This is the first time that prisoners' privileges were cancelled nationwide, according to BuCor spokesperson Senior Inspector Eusebio Del Rosario Jr. — Dona Magsino/BM, GMA News