Press Release
September 15, 2019

I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY 'PASALUBONG' AND PABAON; NO 'TILAPIA' DURING MY TERM AS PRISONS CHIEF - DELA ROSA

SENATOR Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa categorically denied receiving any monetary favor from any individual or group during his term as director general of the beleaguered Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), saying that no one even dared to offer him any 'pasalubong' when he became the BuCor Chief or 'pabaon' when he left the bureau.

In a radio interview over the weekend, Dela Rosa, who served as BuCor chief for almost six months, assured that he took drastic actions to resolve the accustomed corrupt practices in the bureau. These corruption practices include the alleged 'SOP' or financial favors given by suppliers like the contracted catering services to the incoming prisons chief.

"Klaruhin ko yung sinasabi na pagpasok ng bagong director may pasalubong...never yan nangyari sa aking panahon kahit na pugutan nyo ako ng leeg hindi yan nangyari!" Dela Rosa said.

"Ang masakit lang kasi dun para bang ini-imply na yung nangyayari noong panahon nila, ngayon sa panahon namin nangyayari pa rin yan," he added.

When asked if he received any offer of 'pasalubong' from the high profile inmates, Dela Rosa vehemently denied it. He also laughed off the alleged 'pabaon' for outgoing BuCor heads saying that he even spent his personal money to shoulder the needs to pursue his duties.

"Hindi po, wala pong ganun... ang tapang naman nila kung mag-offer sila sa akin ng ganun [pasalubong, pabaon], ang ahensya na yan napabayaan ng gobyerno pati ang aking pang-gasolina ako pa mismo nagbabayad... hirap talaga ang ahensya na yan," Dela Rosa noted.

Meanwhile, on the issue of 'tilapia' where prostitutes were allegedly being allowed to come inside the prisons and offer their services to the Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) who are willing and capable to pay the expensive fee, Dela Rosa said that it was not allowed during his term. He added that they even arranged and implemented a scheme wherein only those PDLs who behaved properly will have the opportunity to be with their declared partner during a conjugal visit.

"Wala nga po yan, panahon pa noong nakalipas na pamunuan ang 'tilapia' na yan. Pagdating namin, particularly during my time, ang bawat preso if they are behaving properly, meron silang isang araw sa isang buwan na pwedeng magka-conjugal visit yung misis. Ganito... pinapa-fill up namin yan sila ng record kung sino yung kanilang asawa, live-in [partner] or common law wife, ilalagay ang pangalan doon. At yun lang ang authorized pumasok pagdating ng kanilang once a month conjugal visit. Yun lang ang makapapasok," Dela Rosa explained.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has been conducting an inquiry on the implementation of Republic Act 10592 or the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law. The hearing will resume this coming week.

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