By Benjamin Pulta
MANILA – The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has arrested a female visitor of an inmate for trying to smuggle illegal drugs into the maximum-security camp of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City on Tuesday.
In a statement on Wednesday, BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. identified the suspect as Rhea Mercado, a registered visitor of person deprived of liberty Edgardo Mercado, who is currently confined at Dorm 1C (Quadrant 1) of the maximum-security camp.
NBP Superintendent, Corrections Chief Roger Boncales, disclosed that Mercado was reluctant to undergo the necessary security procedures, specifically the X-ray body scanning.
After expressing discomfort and requesting to use the restroom, she was observed by a guard trying to dispose of a suspicious object.
The guard’s intervention led to the recovery of a condom containing a white crystalline substance, suspected to be illegal drugs.
The confiscated items were promptly sent to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Forensic Laboratory for analysis, while Mercado was taken to the local police headquarters for processing.
Catapang said the incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced by correctional facilities in preventing drug smuggling and maintaining security within their walls.
“As we continue to address these security issues, the case serves as a reminder of the ongoing battle against drug-related activities and the measures necessary to protect correctional facilities from exploitation,” Catapang said. (PNA)
