NBP doctors forced to certify gravity of inmates illnesses, says witness

A doctor at the New Bilibid Prison has come forward to bare the danger physicians at the penitentiary faced from inmates who want them to certify the gravity of their made-up sickness.

According to Tina Panganiban-Perez's report on "24 Oras", the witness said NBP doctors were forced to certify that some inmates were so seriously sick that they could not be treated at the penitentiary and had to be taken to a private institution.

They faced death if they refused to do so.

The witness is expected on Thursday to tell the Senate inquiry about this measure reportedly taken by the inmates to secure a trip outside the Muntinlupa prison.

"'Yung mga doctor pindadalhan ng bulaklak ng patay sa bahay. Pati yata tatlong nurses pinaldahan din," said the doctor who's expected to testify at the Senate on Thursday.

The threat against doctors was the latest controversy facing the NBP following the selling of good conduct time allowance credits by NBP officials and the sale of passes so inmates could stay at the NBP hospital.

“No choice sila pag di sila nagbigay ng passes papatayin din sila kaya maraming nagresign sila di kaya nila dibdibin out of security ay umalis na lang...” said Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption president Aresnio Evangelista.

Senator Bong Go said he received information that some inmates faked being sick so they could deal drugs.

He said President Rodrigo Duterte knew the witness.

"Siya po ang kusa na gustong tumulong. Dati po siyang opisyal ng gobyerno... Dati na po naming kilala ni President Duterte ito," Go said.

Go left it to the witness to disclose the other personalities involved in the hospital pass for sale.

"Most of these illegal drug transactions take place in Medical Ward 3, medical annex in Building 14 po. It involves several personalities, about eight of them," Go said.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said the cost of the hospital passes for sale range from P200,000 pesos to P2 million.

"And meron pa itong board and lodging amounting to 30,000 per day. Eh, wala namang mangyayaring ganoon kung walang magce-certify na doktor," Lacson said.

Four new witnesses are expected at the Senate on Thursday to shed light on the anomalies at the Bureau of Corrections.

"One of the persons that has been issued a subpoena is on the way here and we will keep him overnight until tomorrow," Senate President Vicente Sotto III said.

"Puro may mga experiences and involvement sa Bureau of Corrections. Merong dating inmate, merong mga dating bucor officials," he added. —NB, GMA news