Catapang intensifies efforts,support for PBBM’s bloodless drug war
BUREAU of Corrections Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. has intensified efforts in support of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s “Bloodless Drug War” by appointing his Deputy Director for Operations, Asec. Gil Torralba, as the Commander of the inter-agency task force Sanib-Pwersa.
“Our initiative, guided by Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla and aligned with the campaign of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla to cut-off the supply chain of illegal drugs, will be focused, hardened and robust,” stated Catapang.
He elaborated that all individuals involved in drug-related offenses from various operating prisons and penal farms would be relocated to Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF), which houses the SuperMax facility. The term “robust” refers to the increased activity of the inter-agency, while “hardened” indicates that 200 members of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force will be stationed at SPPF while focus means that all PDLs convicted of illegal drugs will be confined at the SPFF.
The Bucor chief also mandated that corrections officers assigned to SPPF will undergo weekly rotations to prevent them from becoming too familiar with persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), and all Bucor resources will be redirected to execute the directives of the Secretary of Justice.
According to Catapang, the bureau began relocating high-profile inmates from New Bilibid Prison to SPPF as early as July of the previous year. Currently, there are 246 high-profile PDLs convicted of engaging in the illegal drug trade at SPPF, which includes:
* Chinese – 134
* Hong Kongese – 7
* Taiwanese – 20
* Canadian – 1
* Iranian – 2
* Korean – 3
* Nigerian – 1
* Filipinos – 78
Catapang provided the inter-agency task force with a detailed list of 5,890 PDLs convicted of drug offenses currently held at NBP, aiming for accurate identification of individuals still engaged in the illegal drug trade for prioritized transfers to SPPF.
This afternoon, Catapang announced that 100 PDLs convicted of drug offenses would be moved from NBP to Pasugui-Sub Colony in SPPF, with another 200 expected to transfer within the week and an additional 300 scheduled to be relocated before the month’s end.
