Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has ordered the relief and suspension of Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officials and personnel who have been negligent in their duties that resulted in the riot at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City where nine inmates have died.

In a memorandum addressed to BuCor Director General Gerald Bantag, Guevarra instructed him “to cause the immediate relief and preventive suspension of the responsible BuCor officials and personnel who appear to be administratively liable for their negligence, pending investigation.”
The secretary also told Bantag “to conduct a thorough investigation of the incident, identify all PDLs (persons deprived of liberty) who participated in the tumultuous affray, and cause the institution of the corresponding criminal complaints, if warranted.”
The BuCor said the riot erupted at around 1 a.m. Friday, Oct. 9, inside Quadrant 4 of the NBP-East, Maximum Security Compound between the Sigue Sigue Sputnik (SSS) and Sigue Sigue Commando (SSC) gangs.
Because of what happened, Guevarra stressed that the BuCor should “take all the appropriate measures to prevent a repetition of similar violent incidents.”
With this, he also directed Bantag “to suspend all privileges of PDLs confined at the Maximum Security Compound until further notice.”
The secretary also ordered the BuCor chief “to conduct an extensive search of the Maximum Security Compound and confiscate any and all weapons and other contraband items that may be found therein.”
Bantag was given five days by Guevarra “to submit an initial report on the status of the action/s taken” as well as periodic reports until the full implementation of the memorandum.