MANILA — The amount of total money remittance transactions at the New Bilibid Prison could go as high as P300,000 per day, according to a businesswoman who handles GCash transactions.

Molly Avejar told the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, which convened in Bilibid on Tuesday, that the volume of money remittances at the national penitentiary could vary on a day-to-day basis, tapering off usually on weekends.

“Wala pong definite, your honor. Meron pong umaabot po ng P300,000 sa isang araw po. Minsan po P50,000 to P70,000,” she said in response to Senator Francis Tolentino, the committee chair.

(There’s no definite amount, your honor. Sometimes it would reach P300,000 a day. Sometimes P50,000 to P70,000.)

Avejar said she charges 3 percent out of the total remittance, earning as much as P9,000 a day.

“Hindi po ako nagbabawas sa P500 and below, hindi po ako nagbabawas. Minsan may nagpapadala 100, 200, dinadagdagan ko na lang po kasi ano pong mabibili nila sa 100, 200, your honor?” she said.

(I don’t charge for remittances amounting to only P500 and below. Sometimes some would send P100, P200. I would just add a little because what can they buy with P100, P200, your honor?)

The money, she explained, would come from families of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) or inmates, who would call her through any of her 5 mobile numbers.

She would then hand over the amounts to a trusted inmate, who would take care of distributing them to the PDLs.

Avejar, a former PDL at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW), said she thought about the business because of her experience at the CIW, a Bureau of Corrections facility in Mandaluyong.

“Nagvolunteer po ako sir since may kakilala po ako na mga PDL and sa sarili ko rin po, alam ko po dahil before, pag pinapadalhan po ako, talagang malaki po yung nababawas,” she said.

(I volunteered, sir, since I know some PDLs and from my own experience, I know that when I was sent money before, a big chunk would be deducted.)

Explaining the process she went through to get accredited, Avejar said she went to the BuCor Business Center (BBC) to submit a letter of intent.

Out of the 5 applicants, she said she was chosen because she submitted the lowest bid.

Prior money remittance operators used to charge 10 percent of the amount of remittance, according to Avejar.

But she clarified that she does not have a contract with NBP.

“Hindi po ako nabigyan ng contract, your honor, since binase po sa like LBC lang po siya, courier for the PDL, which is normal naman po pinapadalhan po sila po talaga, kami po na naging PDL,” she said.

(I was not given a contract since they based on it courier service like LBC, which is normal for them to be sent money.)

NO FUNDS GO TO BUCOR, PERSONNEL

Avejar denied allegations that a portion of her earnings goes to BuCor or any of its personnel, specifically, OIC-Deputy Director for Operations and Head Executive Assistant Jail Senior Inspector Angelina Bautista, who had been the subject of some “intelligence” information reaching the senators who conducted the probe.

Aside from Tolentino, senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, himself a former BuCor chief, and Robin Padilla, who had also once been a Bilibid PDL, joined the probe.

“Wala po, your honor. Sa akin lang po lahat ng 3% your honor,” she said.

(None, your honor. The 3% goes to me.)

Avejar started her money remittance business at NBP in January this year.

Asked if she is aware that some of the amounts remitted to inmates could have been used to bring in contrabands to the prison facility, she said she did not think it would be tied to her money remittance business.

“I don’t think so po na malilink dito sa GCash since purely galing po sila sa family. Minsan nga po tulog pa ako, tumatawag na yung pamilya,” she said.

(I don’t think they could be linked to GCash since these are purely coming from the PDLs’ families. Sometimes they would call even when I’m still asleep.)

Dela Rosa said he found the setup legal while Tolentino commented that it is no longer Avejar’s fault if the money sent through her would be used in illicit activities.

MISSING PDL

The Senate hearing held at the NBP on Tuesday initially focused on allegations of a mass grave inside a septic tank in Bilibid.

But the bone recovered on July 26 turned out to be chicken leg bone, according to a National Bureau of Investigation forensic expert.

The inquiry then shifted to some allegations against Bautista and the whereabouts of missing detainee Michael Angelo Cataroja, initially thought to have been killed and buried in a septic.

Catapang said he believes Cataroja could have escaped.

But Dela Rosa and Padilla thought otherwise.

“I don’t buy the idea, pasensya na, whoever is entertaining the idea na nakalayas si Cataroja, in the absence of evidence, direct evidence, concrete evidence na magsasabi na nakalayas talaga siya. Ako deep inside my heart at saka si Senator Robin Padilla, hindi kami maniwala na nakalaya yun. I am sure nandito lang yun sa loob,” he said during a press conference following the hearing.

“Kung hindi makita yung remains niya, duda ko nilipat yun. Andito pa rin sa loob yan, nilipat lang yan,” he added.

Dela Rosa said even the most corrupt or crazy jail guard in the maximum security compound would not allow a PDL to escape from prison.

“Because hindi lang yan insulto sa kanilang pagiging correctional officer, insulto yan sa buong bureaucracy, sa BuCor at sa buong gobyerno. Never mangyari yan, I don’t think so. Siguro pwede magpalusot ng shabu, pwede magpapalusot ng contraband, whatever. Pero yung makalayas, mortal sin yan. Hindi yan makalalayas,” he said.

“Ako, malakas ang kutob ko andito lang yan sa loob, nilibing yan somewhere. Baka nilipat lang,” he added.

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