DILG's Remulla: Main source of drug trade 'still inside' Bilibid

Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor "Jonvic" Remulla Jr. said Tuesday that the Marcos administration's campaign against illegal drugs would focus on the supply side, bulk of which comes from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.

"This time we are going heavy on the supply side," Remulla said at a Palace press briefing.

"Number one source (of the) drug trade is apparently still inside Muntinlupa jail," Remulla said.

The government is already taking "proactive steps," Remulla said, "para ialis na 'yung mga high-value detainees sa loob ng Muntinlupa and setting up a maximum security somewhere in the Philippines (to move the high-value detainees in Muntinlupa and set up a maximum security facility for them elsewhere in the Philippines)."

This developed as President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. met with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to strengthen the collaboration for the administration's fight against illegal drugs.

Remulla said new strategies were tackled during the meeting.

According to the DILG chief, authorities have identified at least 200 high-profile detainees, who will be transferred to another facility. He did not disclose where this facility is.

He added that these detainees were not linked to the government.

''No they're not... 'yung first identification natin 'yung 200 high-value detainees sa loob ng Muntinlupa apparently are still active from intercepted communications and intelligence briefings,'' Remulla said.

('No they're not... the first identification shows 200 high-value detainees in the Muntinlupa facility. Apparently they are still active, based on intercepted communications and intelligence briefings.)

The President has an idea who these personalities are, Remulla added.

''Alam niya eh, siya nagsabi sa amin (He knows, he told us),'' the DILG secretary said. 

In September last year, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) admitted to the Senate committee on justice and human rights that the New Bilibid Prison was not "drug-free," saying inmates have been using different ways to smuggle illegal drugs into the facility.

Last April, the DOJ reconstituted a technical working group for the transfer of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from the NBP to regional correctional facilities. — VDV, GMA Integrated News