MANILA - Former Bureau of Corrections chief and senatorial candidate Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa on Tuesday said drug lords inside the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa are controlling drug syndicates outside the national penitentiary.

Speaking to ANC's Headstart, Dela Rosa denied that illegal drugs are being brought in and out of the prison.

"Hindi naman nakakapasok ang drugs sa loob. Commercial value na drug, na sinasabi nila nanggagaling sa loob ng Bilibid? No," he said.

(Illegal drugs are not flowing into the prison. You're talking about commercial value drugs that they say is coming from Bilibid? No.)

"Ang nangyayari diyan, sila lang nagko control, 'yung mga tao sa loob na mga convicted na drug lord. Patuloy pa rin 'yung negosyo nila sa labas pero hindi pumapasok ang shabu sa loob. Sila pa rin ang nagko-control," he added.

(What is happening there is - convicted drug lords inside the prison are the ones in control. Their business outside continues but the shabu does not go inside the prison. They are the ones in control.)

Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police chief, said he tried to curb the drug problem by housing convicted Chinese drug traffickers in a separate building away from Filipino drug lords inside the prison to avoid communication.

He also said he was never offered a bribe during his short stint in BuCor. Dela Rosa served as BuCor chief from May to October 2018.

"Nobody, none. Alam nila ng kakatayin ko sila, sasakalin ko sila," he said.

He also claimed receiving confirmation from inmates about Sen. Leila de Lima's alleged links to the drug trade.

"'Totoo ba 'yung sinasabi ng mga kasamahan niyo dito?' 'Totoo 'yan' sir.' 'Yun ang ibig sabihin nun, totoo. Wala namang nagsabi na hindi totoo. Casual na usapan yun. Hindi naman coercive," he said.

ANC, March 12, 2019