The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) will be removing the wall it had put up that blocked the passage to and from Katarungan Village 1 and Village 2, according to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.
According to Guevarra, the blockage will be replaced with a control gate.
"The BuCor, after consultations with the Department of Justice (DOJ), will remove the roadblock off the Katarungan Villages as soon as a control gate, which was the original plan, has been put up," said the secretary.
"Pag in place na, they will remove the concrete barriers. But pedestrians can pass, I was informed," he added.
(Once in place, they will remove the concrete barriers. But pedestrians can pass, I was informed.)
Gabriel Chaclag, BuCor spokesperson, confirmed to DZRH the establishment of a control gate. He added that the area is already allowing the passage of authorized persons from Katarungan Village.
"Control gate na po yung inilagay natin. As of now, nakakadaan yung ating mga authorized persons na pedestrian sa Katarungan Village," he said.
(We will put a control gate. As of now, authorized people who are pedestrians from Katarungan Village can pass through.)
"Eventually po ay gagawin na po natin yung vehicular traffic. Pwede na rin pong dumaan ang mga emergency vehicles at mga authorized vehicles," the spokesperson added.
(Eventually, we will allow vehicular traffic. This will include emergency and authorized vehicles.)
According to Chaclag, the wall was put up in an effort to reduce the contact of persons deprived of liberty (PDL) from the outside world.
He explained that every time someone unauthorized would pass through the access road, the prison goes into lockdown under the assumption that a PDL has escaped. This leads to wasted efforts, resources, and energy of NBP personnel, according to the spokesperson.
"So maiiwasan po natin yung ganung incident kapag wala na pong mga access road," he said, adding: "Ang plano po natin ay talagang perimeter fence sana."
(So we will avoid that incident if the access road is gone. Our original plan is to put up a perimeter fence.)
The previously erected wall did not have a permit and was not coordinated with the city government, according to Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, who said the move from BuCor disrespects the rights of citizens.
Chaclag said that BuCor has already explained that the access road will have a controlled gate later on.
"Pinakamaganda po ay magkakaroon ng sariling access road ang mga subdivision at hindi po makikidaan sa lobo ng kampo. Saan ka naman makakita na for the longest time ang access road nila sa loob ng prison camp?" he pointed out.
(The good thing about this is that people will have their own access road and they will no longer need to pass through the camp. Because where can you find an access road that is inside a prison camp?)
"Siguro ipamulat natin na hindi po dapat ganun, kahit nakasanayan noong mga nakalipas na taon," Chaclag said.
(Maybe we need to let them know that it should not be happening despite being used to this in the past years.)
