Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
Ten persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) who testified against detained former senator Leila M. de Lima in her illegal drugs cases have been transferred from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City to the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF) in Occidental Mindoro.
The transfer was confirmed by Department of Justice (DOJ) Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic F. Clavano IV on Monday, July 31.
“As per my information through informal channels nasa Sablayan po sila (They are in Sablayan based on information I received through informal channels),” said Clavano who did not give the names of the PDLs or reveal the reason for the transfer.
He said an official report has yet to be issued by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).
Clavano made the confirmation after meeting on Monday with the wives of some of the inmates.
The wives told the DOJ they were not informed of the transfer last July 29 and demanded explanation why they were transferred to a facility too far for them to visit.
“So inassure ko sila na ang mga asawa nila ay nasa magandang kalagayan (So I assured them that their husbands are in good condition),” Clavano said.
“We can assure everybody that everything that we do here meron talagang purpose and hindi naman basta-basta namin ginagawa ‘yung mga ganitong transfer kung hindi talaga napag-isipan (has a purpose and we don’t just do this kind of transfer without deliberating on it),” he said.
“There are certain things that have to be kept confidential even to the families in order to restore ‘yung peace and order natin sa loob ng kulungan (within the prison),” he also said. — Jeffrey Damicog
*****
Credit belongs to: www.mb.com.ph
