MANILA — The Bureau of Corrections said Friday it is investigating a "tunnel" found inside the New Bilibid Prison.

According to BuCor acting director-general Gregorio Catapang Jr., the hole is "200 meters wide and 30 meters deep".

"We don't have the expertise here. We are calling the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) to help us investigate this illegal quarrying sabi nila," he told ANC"s "Rundown".

"But sabi ko nga, we are not expert so we would like to rely on expertise to look into this illegal quarrying," he added.

(We are calling the DENR to help us investigate this so-called illegal quarrying sabi nila. But as I said, we are not experts.)

Catapang said he couldn't say for now if the "tunnel" was used for inmates to escape or smuggle contraband.

"We will look into that. There are so many possibilities kung anong puwedeng gawin dun sa hinuhukay na 'yan," he said.

(There are so many possibilities on what it could be used for.)

In a separate TV interview, Catapang said the "tunnel" was located near the Director's Quarters, which is the official residence of the prisons bureau chief.

The DENR, he said, did not give a permit for the excavation project.

• Bilibid inmates surrender drugs, cellphones, weapons, beer

The tunnel was discovered days after Bilibid inmates surrendered some 12,000 contraband items, including illegal drugs, cellphones, weapons, and liquor.

According to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, some 400 inmates have escaped the facility in the past 40 years.

Around 29,000 inmates are serving time at the NBP, which was originally built for 6,000 detainees.

• DOJ's Remulla seeks to reform Bilibid, relocate some inmates

A Bilibid inmate allegedly served as a middleman in the murder plot against journalist Percival Mabasa, more known as Percy Lapid, in October. The alleged intermediary Jun Villamor died due to plastic bag suffocation, according to a second, independent autopsy.

Murder charges were filed this week against suspended BuCor chief Gerald Bantag and deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta over the killing of Mabasa.

Investigators believed Bantag ordered the Oct. 3 hit on Mabasa due to the media man's continued exposés against him. Bantag said last month that he had nothing to do with the killing.

• Murder raps filed vs Bantag, BuCor official in Lapid/Villamor killings
• 'Wishful thinking': Remulla rejects Bantag as 'state witness' in Lapid murder case

— With reports from Davinci Maru, ABS-CBN News; Agence France-Presse

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