De Lima: 2-storey house inside Bilibid doesn’t belong to high-profile drug inmate

A two-storey house inside the New Bilibid Prison does not belong to a high-profile convict detained at the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City.

This was the finding contained in an initial report submitted by Bureau of Correction Director Franklin Jesus Bucayo to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on the controversial structure inside Bilibid.

Inmate Amin Imam Boratong, convicted in 2006 for maintaining a shabu tiangge in Pasig City, is supposed to be serving time at the facilty's maximum security compound but is reportedly staying at the newly built two-storey house beside the NBP chapel.

"Hindi daw totooo iyon based on the report, because I think that’s the prayer area for the Muslim inmates, kaya naging two-storey," said De Lima, who earlier inspected the building herself.

"Medyo maayos iyong itsura pero that is really for the Muslim inmates," said De Lima, even as she denied reports that the house was airconditioned.

De Lima said Buratong did not own the house, and that investigators are still verifying who owns the property.

"Pero normally kasi pag ganyan, these are more mga donations din, various organizations and also mga kind-hearted personalities na gusto lang makatulong sa NBP," she added.

De Lima said she has in fact visited the area before during ocular inspections at the penitentiary. — KBK, GMA News