After raids at the New Bilibid prison identified thousands of contraband goods, the management of the country’s prisons is in the spotlight
When officials last raided the Philippines’ biggest prison, their discoveries ranged from deadly to bizarre. Tens of thousands of contraband goods were identified in New Bilibid prison, including lethal weapons, alcohol, drugs and gambling material. A menagerie of horses, game fowls and pythons were also found living in the prison complex.
In the Philippines, prisons have long had a reputation for corruption but the sweep in New Bilibid in Manila late last year put the country’s prisons back in the spotlight. Last month, four Japanese men were arrested for allegedly orchestrating a string of scams and robberies in their home country from inside a Philippine immigration detention centre. A subsequent inspection of the facility found phones, laptops, routers and cash.
