De Lima sacks New Bilibid Prisons chief, 140 jail officers

MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Monday relieved all jail officers at the maximum security compound over the grenade-throwing inside the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa City that injured six people last Friday.

A total of 140 jail officers at assigned at the maximum security compound were relieved and placed in "floating status."

Also ordered relieved was NBP head Chief Superintendent Ramon Reyes.

De Lima also ordered an immediate reshuffle of the supervisors of the inmates' groups inside the maximum security compound.

Meanwhile, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is focusing on the angle that the grenade-throwing incident inside the national jail facility was related to the illegal drug trade.

The NBI said the six inmates hurt during the grenade blast were known bodyguards of a drug lord, who is detained at the maximum security compound.

The supposed drug lord was identified only as Chua.