DOJ asked to probe phone, Internet use at penitentiary

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine National Police has urged the Department of Justice to probe further into the unfettered access to mobile phones and the Internet of inmates, particularly drug lords, at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

Chief Insp. Roque Merdegia said access to communication gadgets is one of the reasons why the illegal drug trade flourishes inside the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City.

“We found out that sometimes, personnel of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor, which runs the NBP) are the ones who sell cell phones and gadgets to the prisoners,” the spokesperson of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force said.

Merdegia issued the statement following allegations that leaders of drug syndicates still run their illegal trade in prison with the collusion of NBP personnel. Julie M. Aurelio