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--------------------------REP. SUAREZ. (Continuing)...Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
THE CHAIRPERSON.

Thank you for that, the opening remarks of the

Minority Floor Leader is noted and well-taken. This is precisely what we intend to do
in this Committee to look deeper into this situation besetting the National Bilibid
Prison which, probably, has been neglected for quite a while. At this juncture, may we
now hear from one of the co-authors of this House Resolution No. 105, representing
the Majority, we recognize, Congressman Romeo Acop who is also Chair of the
Committee on Public Order and Security.
REP. ACOP. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
To the Honorable Chairman of the Committee on Justice, to the Honorable
Members of the Committee, my esteemed colleagues, guests and fellow workers in
government, a pleasant good morning.
Today, this Representation as a primary author, has been tasked to deliver a
speech before this Committee in sponsorship of House Resolution No. 105, which
seeks an investigation in aid of legislation on the proliferation of drug syndicates at
the National Bilibid Prison. This is not an easy task to do knowing very well the
sensitive nature of the subject matter of this investigation. Not only does it concern
the problem of illegal drugs that threatens to destroy the very fabric of our society but
it also focuses on the state of affairs in the premier penitentiary in the country, the
National Bilibid Prison, as well as on the efforts of the government to rehabilitate and
reform our brothers who ran afoul with the law and now in incarceration.
Frankly, I have concerns that this investigation may unintendedly step on the
toes of certain personalities who may be pulling strings or holding money bags in the
lucrative trade of illegal drugs in and outside the Bilibid.

I am also worried that

political sensitivities maybe unavoidably touch upon and raised among the onion skin
whose names might be dragged in the course of the investigation. But I am willing to
take the chance if only to stand for the principles that as a public servant believe in
that of pursuing integrity in the service of the people and ensuring the peaceful and
drug-free society for our people to live in.
I am deeply frustrated by the fact that in a supposedly tightly guarded prison
facility, illegal activities like trafficking of illegal drugs, even of women, kidnapping and
murders take place. Intelligence then and evidence now reveal that some high-profile

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--------------------------inmates remain to be the central figures in the illegal drug trade even while in prison.
They allegedly as what this investigation now aims to determine colloid with law
enforcement officers, prison authorities and government personnel who are reported
to be in their payroll. Their network appears to be well-entrenched and has become a
business empire with headquarters at the National Bilibid Prison.
This investigation is about cleansing the principal penitentiary in the country of
all the evil of drug trafficking inside the facility which threaten the well-being not only
of the inmates but of all drug dependents who, astonishingly, derive their supply from
the operations of drug syndicates conveniently nestled inside the National Bilibid
Prison. It is about calling to task the men and officers of the Bureau of Corrections for
their failures in the administration of the facility that have aggravated the drug
menace inside the prison and have put to doubt the efficiency and effectiveness of
the governments inmate rehabilitation and reformation programs. It is time to call a
spade a spade and identify these erring custodial officials and officers who are in
cahoots with the drug lords inside these prison facility who are making a kill in their
profits from the illegal drug trade.
It is pay back time. It is time to put a new humane face to the ill-refuted
National Bilibid Prison. I have strong faith in the able leadership of the Chairman of
this Committee and its Members that an investigation will be conducted in the spirit of
utmost objectivity, fairness and with due regard with the rule of law. At the end of the
day, our common objectives remain the same, to ferret out the truth, to eliminate the
drug menace in the country and to restore the peoples trust to our government. This
goals we hope to attain by coming up with a proposed remedial legislation, a result of
this investigation.
May Divine Providence guide us in this endeavor.
Maraming salamat po.
THE CHAIRPERSON.

Thank you, Honorable Acop.

Thank you

distinguished authors of House Resolution 105. I know that many of the Members
who would like to say something before we even proceed, but the Chair feels that, to
provide everyone a better perspective of the situation that we are now investigating it
would be much better if the Secretary of Justice, who has conducted an investigation
into the matter would be able to provide us a comprehensive report of what they have

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--------------------------done so far, their findings and what their recommendation will be for the consideration
of this Commitee.
But, in the meanwhile and pursuant to Rules on legislative inquiry, we will
have to request all of the resource persons who will give their testimonies before this
Committee to take their oath.

And I hereby direct the Comsec to please administer

the oath of all those resource persons. May we request those who will enlighten this
Committee on the matter to please rise and ...for the administration of their oath.
At this juncture, the Committee Secretary administered the oath to the
resource persons- Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre, Solicitor General Jose C. Calida, Chief
Persida R. Acosta, Asst. Sol. Gen. Rex Bernardo Pascual, P/Chief Supt. Nestor F.
Quinsay,Jr.,P/C Supt. Augusto M. Marquez, Jr., P/C Supt. Benjamin M. Lusad, Atty.
Roselyn A. Borja, Dir. Wilkins M. Villanueva, Atty.Czareayah Aquino, Atty Erick
Balmer, Atty. Antonio Kho, Jr., Atty. Raymund Mecate.
THE COMMITTEE SECRETARY.

Please raise your right hand and follow

meI, please state your name, swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, so
help me God.
THE CHAIRPERSON.

Thank you, ComSec; and thank you distinguished

guests. So, we now give the floor to the Honorable Secretary of Justice, Vit Aguirre.
MR. VITALIANO N. AGUIRRE (Secretary, Department of Justice). Thank you
very much, Mr. Chairman. To all our Deputy Speakers present; to the Chairperson of
the Committee on Justice, Honorable Reynaldo Umali; to the Chairperson of the
Committee on Public Order and Safety, Honorable Romeo Acop; to the Chairperson
of the Committee on Dangerous Drugs, Honorable Robert Ace Barbers; Majority
Floor Leader Rudy Farias, Minority Floor Leader, Congressman Danny Suarez;
Vice-Chairman Henry Oaminal; distinguished Members of the august Committees
comprising this joint investigation, distinguished Members of the House of
Representatives, PAO Chief Persida Acosta; the Usec. of the Department of Justice;
members of the media, both local and international; to our resource persons, a
blessed and drug free morning to all.
Before anything else, I wish to reiterate that the Department of Justice fully
supports President Rodrigo Dutertes war on drug. We fully commit ourselves to the
eradication of this menace to our children, our family and our country. We wish to

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--------------------------reassure the public and the Honorable Members of our distinguished Committees that
those who are responsible for the drug trade in this country, once apprehended, will
find nothing but prosecution and punishment under our laws.
One area of utmost concern for everyone is the proliferation and escalation of
drug trade in the National Penitentiary. It is most unfortunate...

(MS. MA. LUISA M. RAMIREZ TOOK OVER)