Director General Nicanor Faeldon of the Bureau of Corrections on Tuesday canceled the privileges of more than 45,000 inmates nationwide following the supposed incessant entry of various contraband items into the penal institutions, especially the New Bilibid Prison.
“Effective today, all privileges will be canceled,” Faeldon said in Jun Veneracion’s report in GMA’s 24 Oras.
Visitations and the recreational activities of inmates such, as playing basketball, will no longer be allowed.
Prison leaders on Wednesday again promised Faeldon that they would cooperate in stopping the illegal activities in the penal colonies following the cancellation of the inmates’ privileges nationwide.
According to Veneracion’s report in GMA News TV’s Balitanghali, Faeldon was adamant about his decision when he met with the leaders of different prisoners’ groups from the New Bilibid Prison on Wednesday.
All prisoners detained in seven penal colonies nationwide will be affected by Faildon’s order, which BuCor expects to draw clamor from the inmates and their families.
Faeldon said he was dismayed because he had previously spoken to the leaders of prisoners to cooperate with the authorities, but they continued with their illegal activities.
Drug convict Rustico Ygot, who was detained in the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison, allegedly managed to make a drug transaction with his contacts in Cebu using an Internet connection.
A mobile phone was recovered inside his prison cell on Monday.
Ygot was transferred to a preventive cell for closer monitoring.
This is the first time that prisoners’ privileges were canceled nationwide, according to BuCor spokesman Senior Inspector Eusebio del Rosario Jr.