DOJ official says deaths in recent Bilibid riots 'inexcusable'

A Department of Justice (DOJ) official on Wednesday described as "inexcusable" the deaths of 13 inmates in two recent incidents of gang violence inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

“Yes, 13 deaths are too many. Even one death is not excusable. No death is excusable,” DOJ Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar said in an interview on ANC.

A recent riot between members of two rival gangs left four inmates dead and 62 others injured -- an incident that took place exactly a month after nine were killed in similar gang-related violence inside the national penitentiary.

Aglipay-Villar said DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra has already ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to look into the matter.

Initial reports from the Bureau of Corrections claim that the riots stemmed from the rivalry between two warring gangs, Sigue-Sigue Sputnik and Sigue Sigue Commando.

Aglipay-Villar said the leadership of BuCor, led by Director General Gerald Bantag and his deputy, Gabriel Chaclag, should  explain “how this happened,” referring to the two riots.

“After the October 9 riot, BuCor conducted Oplan Galugad to try to get all improvised weapons that the PDLs (persons deprived of liberty) managed to make. However, it seems that was not effective with the guns fired this week,” she said.

In the long term, Aglipay-Villar said there should be more custodial personnel to look after inmates at the NBP to prevent riots.

“Riots tend to easily escalate and deaths happen as we have seen because of congestion of the prison and the custodial personal to PDL ratio,” she said.

She said the facility's 29,500 PDLs greatly outnumber its custodial personnel.

“The ratio is one custodial personnel to 60 prisoners. The recommended number in the law is one is to 7. We really need to hire more custodial personnel,” Aglipay-Villar said.  —KBK, GMA News