After the controversy hounding the Good Conduct Time Allowance Law (GCTA) and the alleged corruption activities including the freedom and hospital passes schemes, senators discovered another form of corruption at the Bureau of Corrections (Bucor).
Senators said that BuCor does not use the full amount for the meal allowance for prisoners at facilities it manages.
In a Senate hearing today, Thursday, catering service owner Angeline Bautista said she got the contract to supply food for the Correctional Institute for Women in 2018 after putting up a bid of P39 for each prisoner’s meal for the entire day.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson said that under the 2018 budget, prisoners should have a Php60-budget per meal daily.
“Bakit papakainin mo ang preso ng P39 kung ang budget na binibigay is P60, at least nung 2018? Saan napunta ang balanse?” Lacson asked.
The senator said BuCor has received Php1.029 billion to feed its inmates of more than 47,000.
BuCor officer-in-charge Melvin Ramon Buenafe said some of the budget on meals go to other activities of the prisoners.
“Hindi ninyo ipapakain ang Php60 tapos ang balanse na Php21 gagamitin niyo sa ibang paraan?” Lacson said.
One of the inmates revealed the quality of food in the New Bilibid Prison.
“Sa totoo lang, puro sabaw, walang laman, at walang lasa kaya namamatay ang preso dahil walang bitaminang kinakain,” the inmate said.
Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa who also served as BuCor Chief attested the poor quality of food services in the prison.
“Actually these caterers, you are only suppliers. Pagdating sa loob ang nagluluto preso, ang nagseserve preso, ang tubig na ginagamit sa pagluto BuCor,” Dela Rosa explained.