MANILA -- Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, newly-installed Chief of the Directorial Staff of the Philippine National Police (PNP), assured that he will continue supporting the ongoing reform programs of Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Gen. Gerald Bantag.
“There is now a good coordination and cooperation between the police and the BuCor. And also with other law enforcement agencies, this should be taken advantage of and therefore must continue,” Eleazar told reporters on Sunday.
The BuCor, under Bantag, is currently conducting a rigid vetting process of all prison guards and personnel of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) over allegations of massive corruption that resulted in the continuous operation of convicted drug lords.
Eleazar said there is a need to extend full support to the BuCor, noting most of the shabu supply in Metro Manila came from the syndicates are still being managed by convicted drug lords inside the NBP.
Bantag, in a statement, said: “I want to thank Police Major General Guillermo Eleazar because from the very start, he has been the one supporting me in my reform programs at the BuCor.”
Bantag earlier sought the assistance of Eleazar for augmentation when he relieved hundreds of prison guards over trust issue. Eleazar eventually deployed 551 policemen to assume the duties vacated by the prison guards.
Eleazar and Bantag are working with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, National Bureau of Investigation and the military at the NBP through the establishment of the Quad-Intel Force Liaison Office for drug-busting purposes.
They recently coordinated for the entry of nearly 2,000 personnel from various government agencies in order to demolish all the illegal structures inside the NBP.
“We have a good start with the BuCor. We intend to finish what we started there in terms of denying all the convicted drug lords inside and even leaders of other criminal syndicates to continue with their operation,” Eleazar added.
Eleazar initiated the alliance of four law enforcement agencies in Metro Manila amid criticisms of lack of coordination that failed to stop illegal drug operations.
The quad-intel force will provide the BuCor with information about the criminal groups’ operations that are possibly connected with convicted felons inside the NBP.
Last week, NCR’s quad-intel force established a liaison office inside the NBP which seeks to end corruption and stop the operations of convicted drug lords and other syndicates inside the detention facility.
Eleazar 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 criminal syndicates.
He added 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.
On Saturday, Eleazar relinquished his post as Metro Manila police chief and assumed the fourth highest position in the PNP.
As chief of Directorial Staff, Eleazar will have direct supervision over major police units of the PNP.
Replacing Eleazar is Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, outgoing director of Police Regional Office 7 (Central Visayas). (PNA)
