By Francis Wakefield
Newly appointed Bureau of Corrections (Bucor) Director Ronald dela Rosa went to Camp Aguinaldo Wednesday to check on the eight drug lords locked up at the detention facility of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP).
Among the high-profile inmates at the ISAFP detention center were Herbert Colangco, Robert Durano, Jerry Pilipino, Noel Martinez, German Agojo, Jaime Patio, Thomas Donina and Rodolfo Magleo.
Bureau of Corrections chief, Ret. Gen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, gestures during the flag ceremony at the National Bilibid Prison in Muntilupa, May 7,2018. (Czar Dancel/Manila Bulletin)
Interviewed after his visit, dela Rosa said he went to the ISAFP facility to check if the suspected drug lords were still transacting illegal drugs there.
"I was thinking we are very strict there at Bilibid (National Bilibid Prison). We are very strict to all, in Building 14 and the maximum and medium security cells. Maybe there are no transactions of drugs there, maybe this is where the transactions are happening," dela Rosa said in Pilipino.
He said he did not want to send the wrong signal to the high-profile inmates that just because they are state witnesses they can continue dealing drugs.
"They may think we owe them anything and they can continue with their drug transaction," dela Rosa said.
“So I just made sure that's why I went here and I talked to them. I said they are state witnesses but they can be dying witnesses if they continue with drug deals. That's why I made sure and told then we need to be frank with each other.”
Dela Rosa said that based on what he saw, it will be very hard for the inmates to make any transactions since they are heavily guarded.
He also said that at the moment there are no plans to return the suspected drug dealers to the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City.
Bureau of Corrections chief, Ret. Gen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, gestures during the flag ceremony at the National Bilibid Prison in Muntilupa, May 7,2018. (Czar Dancel/Manila Bulletin)
Interviewed after his visit, dela Rosa said he went to the ISAFP facility to check if the suspected drug lords were still transacting illegal drugs there.
"I was thinking we are very strict there at Bilibid (National Bilibid Prison). We are very strict to all, in Building 14 and the maximum and medium security cells. Maybe there are no transactions of drugs there, maybe this is where the transactions are happening," dela Rosa said in Pilipino.
He said he did not want to send the wrong signal to the high-profile inmates that just because they are state witnesses they can continue dealing drugs.
"They may think we owe them anything and they can continue with their drug transaction," dela Rosa said.
“So I just made sure that's why I went here and I talked to them. I said they are state witnesses but they can be dying witnesses if they continue with drug deals. That's why I made sure and told then we need to be frank with each other.”
Dela Rosa said that based on what he saw, it will be very hard for the inmates to make any transactions since they are heavily guarded.
He also said that at the moment there are no plans to return the suspected drug dealers to the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City.