The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) commended newly-appointed Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag for allowing the NCR’s Quad-Intel Force to put up liaison office inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

“Natutuwa kami na pumayag si Director General Bantag na magtayo kami ng liaison office and in fact, very open siya sa suggestion at lahat ng tulong na maiibibigay sa kanya upang maisaayos ang Bilibid (We are very happy that Director General Bantag allowed us to set up liaison office and, in fact, he is very open to suggestions and to every assistance we can offer to fix the problem in Bilibid),” Eleazar said in a media interview.

Eleazar, met with Bantag last Friday (Oct. 4) and the two officials agreed to implement drastic reforms inside the NBP.

He said the liaison office of the NCR’s Quad-Intel Force seeks to finally end the culture of corruption and stop the operations of convicted drug lords and other syndicates inside the detention facility.

Eleazar initiated the formation of “Quad-Intel Force” composed of various law enforcement agencies to consolidate intelligence efforts against all remaining illegal drug syndicates, including so-called “ninja cops”, operating in Metro Manila.

Aside from NCRPO, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-NCR, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-NCR, and the military’s Joint Task Force-NCR are part of the formal alliance against illegal drugs.

Eleazar said it is the first time that intelligence units of various government law enforcement agencies are allowed to set up an office at the NBP for monitoring and intelligence-sharing with the BuCor.

“The liaison office of the Quad-Intel Force at the New Bilibid Prisons will serve as the intelligence command headquarters to facilitate the sharing of information against convicted felons who are allegedly continuously running the operations of drugs syndicates and other criminal groups,” Eleazar said.

He said the liaison office will serve as the eyes and ears of the Quad-Intel Force inside the NBP against drug lords and other convicted felons who head other criminal syndicates.

In return, the Quad-Intel Force will provide the BuCor information about the criminal group operations that are possibly connected with convicted felons inside the NBP.

“The setting up of Quad-Intel Force liaison office is timely and will serve as a support system on the massive and aggressive reform programs of President (Rodrigo) Duterte, through Director General Bantag, inside the NBP,” he said.

Eleazar said he has deployed a total of 551 NCRPO personnel to assist the BuCor in maintaining peace and order at the NBP.

Eleazar said the temporary augmentation was in response to the request of Bantag for additional manpower as he starts implementing drastic reforms at the NBP. (PNA)