Palace open to cellphone jamming in Bilibid
MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang on Saturday expressed openness to the proposal to jam cell phone signals inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City following news of illegal drugs trade inside the country’s main penitentiary.
“Mukhang sound po ‘iyong proposal ni (Interior) Secretary Mar Roxas… But, of course, the final decision will be up to (Justice) Secretary Leila de Lima dahil ang BuCor (Bureau of Corrections) naman po ay nasa ilalim ng DOJ,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said over Radyo ng Bayan.
(Secretary Mar Roxas’ proposal seems sound… But of course the final decision will be up to Secretary Leila de Lima because the Bureau of Corrections is under the Department of Justice.”
“Mukha hong maganda ho iyong panukala. Let’s see po how the Justice Secretary receives it,” she said.
(The proposal looks good. Let’s see how the Justice Secretar receives it.)
Valte said Malacañang is concerned with what has been happening inside Bilibid.
“Siyempre, concerned tayo doon sa nangyayari sa loob, lalo doon sa report. At alam naman din po ito ni Secretary Leila de Lima. At katulad nga po ng sinabi niya, hindi po niya ito-tolerate at talagang gusto po niya ay drug-free at crime-free iyong ating NBP,” she explained.
(Of course we are concerned with what is happening inside, especially with such reports, which Secretary De Lima is aware of. And like what she said, we do not tolerate it and we want the NBP to be drug-free and crime-free.)
She said they are hoping that intensifying the anti-illegal drugs drive will bear fruit.
“So let us allow them to intensify their efforts. Just like this, there are proposals from other government agencies that will help the DOJ and the BuCor. Hopefully, it will bear fruit.”
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