House leaders to probe proliferation of drug syndicates in Bilibid during De Lima's term

House leaders led by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez have sought an investigation into how drug syndicates managed to operate and flourish inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) national penitentiary in Muntinlupa during the term of former Justice Secretary and now Senator Leila de Lima.

In House Resolution No. 105, Alvarez and 10 other lawmakers asked that a “comprehensive investigation” be conducted by the appropriate legislative committees into the proliferation of drug syndicates inside the NBP.

The Speaker and his colleagues are particularly interested in knowing the involvement and accountability of authorities mandated to supervise the national penitentiary, including De Lima and the other heads of law enforcement agencies tasked to implement anti-drug policies.

House leaders sought the congressional probe following Duterte’s identification of NBP detainees Peter Co and Herbert Colangco as among the top drug lords in the country.

They noted that Co and Colangco ran their drug operations inside the NBP, from “detention cells-turned luxury air-conditioned kubo/s (shelters) equipped with internet connection.”

The lawmakers noted that the proliferation of drug syndicates inside the national penitentiary became evident during the raid conducted by De Lima and operatives from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in December 2014.

De Lima and her team discovered makeshift shabu laboratories, and confiscated illegal items such illegal drugs, firearms, money, jewelry and gadgets.

The lawmakers said the raid “exposed the nation’s premier detention facility as a permanent asylum for drug lords, gambling lords and local ‘mafiosi’ [who are] operating freely within the enclosed facility, imposing control on inmates, and operating side by side with institutional workers and security personnel.”

Alvarez and his colleagues said the proliferation of the illegal drug trade and other criminal activities inside the NBP has “created a climate of anger, apprehension and frustration” among citizens who are convinced that powerful drug syndicates are being coddled by high-ranking government officials.

As of August 2, the measure is still pending with the Committee on Rules.

On Wednesday, Duterte blasted a senator for “politicking” and “posturing” by complaining about the administration's anti-drug campaign when she herself is "immoral" by allegedly being the lover of her driver.

The President later named De Lima as the senator he was criticizing, and claimed that her driver supposedly collected drug payoffs for her.

De Lima served as Justice Secretary from July 2010 to October 2015, before she filed her certificate of candidacy as senator.

She is set to lead the Senate committee on justice and human rights’ investigation into the series of drug-related killings under Duterte’s watch next week.

Co-authoring HR 105 with Alvarez are Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, Deputy Speakers Raneo Abu and Eric Singson, appropriations committee chair and Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles, public order and safety committee chair and Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, and Reps. Michael John Duavit of Rizal, Jerry Treñas of Iloilo, Abraham Tolentino of Cavite and Doy Leachon of Oriental Mindoro. — VVP, GMA News