Sandigan justice denies role in NBP drugs
FORMER assistant solicitor general and now Sandiganbayan Justice Karl Miranda yesterday denied allegations, saying that he is supporting the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.
Miranda made the statement in response to a video clip shown during the House inquiry on the proliferation of illegal drugs in the NBP.
According to him, the video was taken during one of the reg- ular visits of Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) legal interns to the national penitentiary.
Miranda, meanwhile, welcomes the House inquiry as it gave him the opportunity to clear the terrible and unjust misconception towards him, which was generated by the film clip.
“I have consistently and strongly condemned the illegal drug trade and have done my part then as the Republic’s lawyer in seeing to it that that those who violate the the anti- illegal drug laws of the country are held responsible and sent to prison,” Miranda said.
He explained that a part of the OSG legal internship program includes visits to government departments, agencies, bureaus and offices to familiarize legal interns with OSG legal work as the Republic’s Counsel and the People’s Tribune.
Visitation
It also includes visits to the national penitentiary to see poor prison and prisoner conditions and learn about prisoner reformation.
“This was the first visit of a batch of legal interns to maximum security prison as most of our visits were to the college for prisoners inside medium security prison. When we arrived, we were brought to a “visitor’s hall” inside maximum security prison where we were expecting prisoners to perform the usual song and dance numbers for visitors,” Miranda said.
He also said that he was not aware that convicted drug lord Jaybee Sebastian was one of the performers who played a saxophone during the said visit to the NBP, saying that “it was after the performance that the introduction of the legal interns were made.”
“It is therefore most unfair for the reporter to give the impression that we support his illegal activities. Far from it, what we support is true prisoner reform and rehabilitation and not what was misrepresented by the film clip,” he explained.