Criminals rule
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2019 16:15:43 +0000
THE Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) now appears to be the “new arrival” merchandise offered for sale at the Bureau of Corrections.
The continuing investigation by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee exposed the fact that practically all prohibited items and acts in our prisons, particularly at the National Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City, are for sale.
Illegal drugs, mobile phones, sex service, liquor, cigarettes, home appliances and even time to be spent in a hospital, are on top of the long list of items that one, particularly a convicted criminal, can purchase.
This is of course not the first time that this fact has been exposed. In the past, when said issue surfaced, the government acted in what appeared to be an intervention template – conduct of raids, conduct of investigations, as well as removal and reshuffling of personnel.
As these illegal activities are continuing to this day only means that either the government is not effective in its interventions or it is not serious in addressing the problem.
Is this problem caused by greed or incompetence of corrupt officials and employees of the Bureau of Corrections, or both?
Another probable cause of this problem is more disturbing – the fear of prison officials and employees for their life if they will not go along with the corruption system that is in place in our prisons.
In last Thursday’s hearing at the Senate, Senator Richard Gordon raised the point about the Bureau of Corrections medical director probably being afraid for his life if he were to decline the offer of a high profile inmate for money in exchange for his issuance of a hospital pass.
The challenge of Senator Rogelio “Bato” Dela Rosa for prison officials to quit their jobs if they cannot help but succumb to such fear will only be taken by a prison official or employee who has strong moral character. A person with weak moral character will most likely use greed to camouflage fear. For this
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