Pools, lounge found in NBP raid

MANILA, Philippines - Two swimming pools and a hidden lounge were found during a raid on the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) yesterday.

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) personnel also confiscated expensive aquarium fish and hamsters; flat-screen television sets, refrigerators, chest freezers, DVD players, sound systems, and gambling equipment, according to a report by GMA News.

The raid is the ninth conducted in the NBP in recent weeks.

One of the swimming pools and the lounge –full of narra furniture – was found at the rooftop of a kubol that was designed like a resthouse, the report stated.

The Oplan Galugad raid also resulted in the discovery of the modus operandi allegedly employed to smuggle contraband into the prison, the report quoted BuCor Director Rainier Cruz as saying.

Some of the refrigerators, televisions and freezers bore stickers identifying them as BuCor equipment.

Cruz said some BuCor employees file requests for the appliances, then rent or sell them to inmates.

An ABS-CBN report said BuCor personnel also found drug paraphernalia and a collection of spiders in the maximum security compound. Inmates stage spider fights and bet on the winner.

Water reservoir

Meanwhile, NBP superintendent Richard Schwarzkopf said the swimming pools were old water reservoirs and no longer used.

He said he has called the attention of GMA News on what he described as an “erroneous” report and that the NBP has addressed the modus operandi.

Schwarzkopf said the recovery of illegal drugs and other contraband is actually dwindling since the BuCor continues to conduct raids on dormitories in the maximum and medium security compounds.

There was “no major find” during yesterday’s raid, he said.

Schwarzkopf said the operation resulted in the confiscation of drug paraphernalia but no illegal drugs. – With Perseus Echeminada