Officers and staff of New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City stand at attention during the flag ceremony as they hold their 117th Founding Anniversary on November 14, 2022. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File
Visitation privileges for persons deprived of liberty at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City are not suspended, the Bureau of Corrections chief clarified Wednesday. This amid news reports that visits are suspended until June 9.
BuCor chief Director Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. said the reports may be the result of misinterpretation among BuCor leaders and visitors.
“Last week, 6 days straight yung bisita nila. Tapos ngayong padating na ang Independence Day, mahabang bisita na naman para sa mga mag-aasawa, mga kamag-anak na nakakulong. Kaya baka namisinterpret lang po yung sinabi ng mga leader na mag dahan-dahan sa pagbisita,” Catapang said in a TeleRadyo interview.
Catapang said one reason why such information may jhave been disseminated without proper fact-checking was because some BuCor employees want to personally attack him.
“Ang dami ko nang hinaharap ngayon, isipin mo yung 700 na mga tauhan ko na pinagtatanggal ko sa posisyon. Yung mga una ko pang naninira sa akin, ginagawan po nila ng isyu. Yung lahat ng ginagawa ko rito, binabaliktad nila,” he stated.
BuCor last suspended Bilibid visitation during a surge in COVID-19 infections inside the prison. With Milgrace Duenas