Dismantling prison 'cubicles' an 'operational nightmare'

Dismantling the "kubols" of suspected drug lords inside the New Bilibid Prison compound may be easier said than done, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima admitted Thursday. In a radio interview, De Lima said the job is an "operational nightmare" because there are many such structures, with prison "gangs" managing them. "Operational nightmare yan. Sa dami ng na-put up na ganoon, nalaman natin ang ganoong sistema ang kubol system na yan, mga decision yan ng gangs. Kanya-kanyang buildings sila, mga gangs. Sila nagdedesisyon diyan," she told radio dzBB. (This is an operational nightmare. Aside from the large number of houses set up, we learned local 'gangs' manage the kubol system in the compound.) She said the "gang system" inside the penitentiary is not bad per se as it provides a peer system for the inmates. Earlier this week, De Lima ordered NBP Superintendent Ramon Reyes to dismantle the “kubols" of suspected drug lords inside the compound. Also, she ordered Reyes to present an action plan in the next few weeks on how to dismantle the rest of the kubols in the NBP. The inspection that triggered De Lima's order to dismantle the kubols stemmed from the arrest of former Batangas Governor Jose Antonio Leviste, who was allowed to leave the NBP compound even without a pass in May. National Bureau of Investigation agents caught Leviste in Makati City without a pass. Blessing in disguise De Lima said the Leviste incident was a "blessing in disguise" because it prompted them to focus on the problem at the NBP. "Inaamin ko hindi tayo masyadong naka-focus at nag-pay attention sa BuCor. Ngayon ang pagkakataon, gawin namin ito para maging malinis ang sistema riyan (I have to admit we did not pay too much attention to the Bureau of Corrections before the Leviste incident. We see this as a chance to act on the problem and clean up the system)," she said. Diokno replacement Meanwhile, De Lima said she has yet to talk to President Benigno Aquino III about who will replace resigned BuCor chief Ernesto Diokno. Diokno, a former police general, resigned in the wake of the Leviste incident. "Paguusapan namin yan ni presidente. Hindi (ko) pa alam sino ang napupusuan ni presidente. Alam ni Presidente ang urgency ng matter na yan (I'll discuss it with the president. I do not know who he is inclined to appoint but I know he is aware of the urgency of the matter)," she said. She said what is needed is a "professional manager" with "expertise" in the area of jail management and penology. — RSJ, GMA News