Senator Bato Dela Rosa claimed that the “tilapia” scheme—or the practice in which prostitutes stay overnight at the National Bilibid Prison (NBP)—didn’t exist when he was the head of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) from April 2018 to October 2018.
“Wala nga po ‘yan. Panahon pa noong nakalipas na pamunuan ang tilapia na ‘yan,” a transcript of Dela Rosa’s radio interview read per a report by philstar.com.
The report stated that Dela Rosa was reacting to former BuCor officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos’ revelation in a Senate hearing last Thursday that high-profile inmates enjoy the privilege of having access to “tilapia” visitors inside their cells.
According to Ragos, who served BuCor from November 2012 to March 2013, women are being allowed to stay overnight inside the prison in exchange for cash amounting to as high as P30,000.
Ragos revealed that among the entertainers who visited high-profile inmates were the Mocha Girls, supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Dela Rosa said under his administration, inmates who showed good behavior are rewarded with a one-day conjugal visit each month.
Those who were allowed to get in are registered common-law wife of inmates.
Dela Rosa also denied involvement in other anomalies at NBP such as sneaking in of contrabands, presence of the kidnap for ransom scheme and gambling.
“I would just clarify the claims that every new director receives a bribe. That never happened during my term. Even if you cut my head off, that didn’t happen,” Dela Rosa said in the report.
