Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima urged the government to swiftly investigate the reported escape of three (3) Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs), two (2) of whom are now dead following manhunt operations by authorities, from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) last Jan. 17.
De Lima, a social justice and human rights champion, underscored the need to probe possible neglect of duty on the side of Bureau of Correction (BuCor) officials or connivance between PDLs and authorities.
“Ano ba naman itong sunod-sunod na gulo at kababalaghan na nangyayari sa mga bilangguan? Wala pang isang buwan ang nakalipas magmula nang may maiulat na insidente ng karahasan na ikinamatay ng ilang PDLs sa Bilibid at Caloocan City Jail, heto at may panibagong kontrobersiya na naman sa NBP,” she said.
“Authorities must look at all angles that led to the escape of three PDLs, and eventually the demise of two of them. May kapabayaan ba o sabwatan? Bakit nagkaroon sila ng armas, na naglagay din ng malubhang peligro sa publiko?” she added.
According to reports, the three (3) “armed and dangerous” PDLs escaped at around 1:20 a.m. from the NBP’s Maximum Security Compound by “sawing the grilled bars of their window.”
Hours after their daring escape, two (2) of the PDLs, identified as Pacifico Adlawan and Arwin Bio, were shot dead by authorities during the ensuing manhunt operations. Adlawan was serving a sentence for frustrated homicide and drug use, while Bio was serving a sentence for murder and attempted murder.
As of this writing, authorities are still looking for the remaining escapee, Drakilou Falcon, who was convicted for robbery with homicide.
De Lima, a former justice secretary, said the recent incident should serve as another “wake-up call” for the government to tighten security and finally make needed reforms in the country’s prison and correctional systems.
“I cannot anymore count the times that I called on the government to finally address the problems that have long been plaguing the country’s prison system, which includes severe congestion – the root cause of the pressing problems in Philippine penitentiary,” she said.
“I hope that the Senate will finally act on the bills that I filed, logged as Senate Bills No. 180 and 181, that both aim to implement comprehensive reforms in the country’s prison and correctional systems. Hindi matitigil ang ganitong insidente kung patuloy na magpapabaya ang gobyerno sa mga tunay na suliranin sa loob ng bilangguan,” she added.
SB No. 180 seeks to institutionalize prison reform and restorative justice in the country’s correctional system to ensure the effective rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates while according full respect of their rights.
SB No. 181, meanwhile, seeks to unify corrections and management system by centralizing the management of all prisons and jails under a single government authority to be called National Commission on Corrections and Jail Management (NCCJM). (30)