Transfer of NBP certain, says official

As prisons are still considered a great risk, transferring the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) to a less populated area like Tanay, Rizal is inevitable, NBP Director Ricardo Macala said.

Metro Manila is "too populated," he said, that it has become a less than ideal location for the NBP, where more than 15,000 convicts are serving their sentences.

President Arroyo announced over the weekend her plan to privatize the 400-hectare NBP compound in Muntinlupa City during a visit to Pasong Diablo River in Alabang where she conducted a dialogue with some 300 urban poor residents.

Of the 400-hectares, 300 will be utilized for light industries while the rest will be allocated for socialized housing for the city’s some 13,000 urban poor residents.

Macala said the municipality of Tanay is an ideal location for the new NBP compound because of its accessibility. "Hindi naman dapat napakalayo sa Metro Manila dahil ang mga preso natin ay galing sa Northern at Southern Luzon. Tama na sa Tanay," he said.

Tanay Councior Luis Catalos also welcomed the transfer of the NBP to the municipality as long as the security of Tanay’s residents will be ensured.

"Our security is the most important thing that should be guaranteed," Catalos said in Filipino.

He suggested that the NBP compound be built near Camp Capinpin where the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Second Infantry Division is based.

Catalos added that having the NBP in Tanay would generate more business and income for the municipality.

Tanay is the third largest municipality in Rizal, following Antipolo and Montalban, and is a mountainous area.

He also said he supports the transfer of the NBP to Tanay as it is a "national project" and agreed with Macala that the national penitentiary should be transferred to a less populated area.

When asked about Tanay being a New People’s Army (NPA)-infested area and how it would affect the national penitentiary, Catolos downplayed the report. — Nikko Dizon