Kapatid spox banned from entering prisons due to alleged repeated violations —BuCor

The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) on Monday defended the banning of Fides Lim, the spokesperson of political prisoner group Kapatid, from entering its prisons and penal farms, saying it did so due to alleged repeated violations and unruly behavior.

In a letter sent to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla dated July 12, BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. said Lim has been banned since April 29 after a thorough investigation.

The bureau said it found alleged repeated instances of “defiance, arrogance, and disruptive conduct towards corrections officers, including high-ranking officials, during visits at the New Bilibid Prison” from February 2024 to October 2024.

“There are procedures to follow when visiting a PDL, and we treat everyone the same. No special treatment; all are equal,” Catapang said in a statement.

“We have to maintain order and adhere to security protocols within the correctional system to ensure a safe environment for both staff and PDLs,” he added.

This came after Lim asked the Department of Justice to investigate why she was denied entry while delivering food to a person deprived of liberty (PDL) at the Correctional Institution for Women last week.

'Principled'

Lim, meanwhile, said that BuCor’s ban is meant to “silence criticism, punish the truth-teller, and deflect attention from institutional abuse, neglect, and starvation.”

“Every action I have taken inside BuCor jails has been principled, lawful, and rooted in moral duty to support political prisoners—many of whom are abandoned and rendered invisible,” she said in a statement.

“I have followed basic procedures: submitted formal requests, complied with inspections, and never refused frisk searches. What I opposed—rightfully—was being brought into a closed cubicle without witnesses for an illegal and degrading strip and body cavity search,” she added.

Lim also called on Congress to launch a legislative inquiry into the procedures of BuCor.  —KG/ VAL, GMA Integrated News