New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Superintendent Gary Garcia on Monday maintained that persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) are provided with free water supply.
Garcia denied allegations that no water was available at the national penitentiary for the past two weeks and that PDLs were required to pay for supplied water.
‘I held a dialogue with the PDLs yesterday, and they confirmed that the water supplied by Maynilad and the water delivered by BuCor (Bureau of Corrections) fire trucks are free of charge because the agency is shouldering the expenses,’ Garcia said.
He also cited Bureau of Corrections Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr.’s earlier statement that the prison’s water pumps are still under repair.
But he emphasized that the BuCor has been implementing alternatives by purchasing additional water to address the shortage.
‘Demolition job’
The NBP superintendent called the allegations that PDLs were being charged for water supply a demolition job.
Garcia said the allegation ‘may have been made in retaliation for the inspections, or ‘Galugad,’ being conducted inside the NBP’s Reception and Diagnostic Center.’