Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — First it was the drug trade. Now, elite policemen guarding the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) confiscate a number of firearms during a shakedown.
Members of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) found high powered firearms inside the maximum security compound.
A caliber 45 pistol was found in a storage room at the Batang Cebu gang’s quarters last Friday. It was wrapped in carbon paper to absorb moist that may cause the gun to rust.
Various firearms were also discovered near the tennis court and in a small space just behind the barbed-wire fence.
PNP-SAF members said firearms were recovered in unexpected areas after receiving tips from inmates.
“Yung clearing operations namin noon na napuntahan na wala kaming nakitang firearms. Ang next na information meron ng firearms. Binalikan namin, meron,” a SAF Batallion Commander in NBP who doesn’t want his identity divulged, told CNN Philippines.
[Translation: In our first clearing operation, no firearms were retrieved. But in succeeding information that we got, there are firearms. So we went back, and we found some.]
Since the PNP-SAF manned the NBP, 57 firearms were either recovered inside the prison or surrendered by inmates. Among these were 27 improvised firearms, commonly known as “sumpak”, which could have been assembled inside the NBP.
“Kasi ang sabi nila itong firearms proteksyon nila daw from other groups. So since hawak na naman natin, hindi na nila kailangan yun,” the SAF official said. [They say, these firearms are for their protection from other groups. But since we’re already handling the security, there’s no need for that.]
Also read: Alleged drug lord Jaybee Sebastian files charges vs. De Lima before DOJ
High powered firearms were also discovered like sub-machine guns-even a foldable one which costs between ₱250,000 and ₱400,000.
Policemen also discovered three caliber 45 pistols that have the same serial numbers.
Officials could only hope that the inmates would be more cooperative as the Christmas season approaches.
“Sana makipag-cooperate na talaga yung mga inmates, yung kanilang mga dalaw para sa ganon matanggal na natin ang possibleng panggagalingan ng harm sa mga inmates diyan at sa amin na rin,” NBP officer-in-charge Rolando Asuncion said.
[Translation: We just hope that the inmates and their guests cooperate with us. This would eradicate the possible source of threat and harm to the inmates and to us as well.]
Asuncion said he plans to allow visitors to enter the dormitories of inmates for the whole of December. But he wants facilities cleared of possible threats like firearms and explosives.
Asuncion also said there may be more firearms may hidden inside the Bilibid.
Initially, he said the maximum security compound is around 80 percent cleared of contrabands. But after discovering more firearms, he thinks they may not be halfway through the task.
For now, he requested for the cooperation of inmates as well as their spouses by providing information to authorities.
“Para bigyan na din ng reward yung mga nakikipag-cooperate sa atin, sa BuCor (Bureau of Corrections) at mga SAF,” Asuncion said. (Also, to give reward to those who cooperate with us, with BuCor and SAF.)
According to authorities, only two of the 13 gangs inside the maximum security compound have been cooperative.
Asuncion said if the rest will not heed their call, only the two gangs will be given the privilege to have longer time with their families in December.
Also read: Alleged drug lord Jaybee Sebastian files charges vs. De Lima before DOJ
