BuCor, other agencies sign MOA to fight drug trafficking in prisons

The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and other agencies on Tuesday signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) creating an inter-agency collaborative group (IACG) to fight drug trafficking in prison facilities and penal farms.

According to BuCor, an operation center will be established inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) to carry out the functions, duties, and responsibilities of the IACG under the MOA.

It said the operation center will concentrate on intelligence gathering, monitoring, and taking action to prevent drug-related activities inside the NBP and other prison facilities and penal farms.

The MOA will cover the NBP, the Correctional Institution for Women, the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm, the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm, the Leyte Regional Prison, the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm, and the Davao Prison and Penal Farm.

BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr., National Bureau of Investigation Director Medardo De Lemos, Police Chief Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr., Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Moro Virgilio Lazo, and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency Assistsant Secretary Rolando Asuncio signed the MOA. 

“It’s really a milestone, doing this, no. It’s like accepting— it’s the first step of any milestone or any endeavor that you do. You have to accept the reality… There is a group here that really even if they’re incarcerated, nagdadala ng drugs sa loob [they bring drugs inside], no,” Catapang said.

Catapang said they recently caught a PDL who ordered his wife to smuggle drugs while visiting him while another visitor attempted to smuggle tobacco and cigarettes through their anus.

“‘Yung asawa niya inutusan mag bisita sa kanya, mag lagay sa puwerta niya,  magtago ng ilang drugs ng sachet ng drugs,” he said.

[He ordered his wife to visit him and to smuggle sachets of drugs through her private parts.]

Catapang previously acknowledged that the NBP is not "drug-free," saying inmates have been using different ways to smuggle illegal drugs into the facility.

“BuCor has to be part of this endeavor in addressing illegal drugs. That’s why [we’re] accepting this as an issue in as much as this has already been talked in Congress and the Senate,” Catapang said.

“But we will not stop there. We recognize the problem, but we face the problem head-on. Sasagutin natin ito. Haharapin natin ang challenge dito. And hopefully, BuCor will regain its respect,” he added.

[We will not stop there. We recognize the problem, and we will face the problem head-on. We will answer this. We will face this challenge. And hopefully, BuCor will regain respect.] —VAL, GMA Integrated News