DOJ starts probe of top NBP officials

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) has started its administrative investigation of top officials of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City who were relieved from their posts over the grenade explosion that rocked the maximum security compound (MSC) last Friday.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said former NBP chief superintendent Ramon Reyes and the relieved head of the MSC, Supt. Roberto Rabo, chief overseer Robert Veneracion and commander of guards Fajardo Lansangan are being investigated for grave neglect of duties and conduct prejudicial to the service.

In a two-page memorandum issued yesterday, the DOJ chief ordered the three to explain in writing why they should not be held administratively accountable for the grenade attack.

They were also directed to explain the contraband seized inside the MSC during a raid by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) last Monday.

The officials reportedly presented old, improvised weapons and old cell phones they seized in a raid last Nov. 16. But the NBI conducted another raid three days later and seized contraband from inmates, including 12 high-end cell phones and gadgets, USB broadband units, wi-fi routers, liquor, CCTV camera, improvised deadly weapon, a split-type air conditioning unit and several drug paraphernalia.

“Judging from the sharp contrast in yield of prohibited items in two surprise raids... only a few days apart, one can only suspect a systematic culture of corruption pervading in the compound,” De Lima stressed.

She gave them three days to comply with the order.

“Failure to submit your explanation shall be deemed as a waiver of your right to explain why you should not be formally charged and the complaint shall be evaluated based on the evidence at hand,” the DOJ chief warned.

De Lima also instructed the new Bureau of Corrections (BOC) officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos and NBP OIC Guillermo Ayala to constantly conduct raids inside the MSC.

“We must act with dispatch to send a message across that we mean business,” she said in a statement.

At least six inmates were injured when an inmate, whose identity was not disclosed, threw a grenade into a group of jogging prisoners having their regular exercise at around 5:15 a.m. in Building 11 at the MSC last Friday.