MANILA: A raid on the Philippines’ biggest jail yesterday uncovered drug lords “living like kings” in secret luxury cells with strip bars, a jacuzzi and methamphetamines, the justice secretary said.
Police commandos in full battle armour and tracker dogs swooped down on the infamously crowded and corrupt Bilibid prison complex before dawn to verify reports that drug rings were operated from behind bars.
Aside from the methamphetamine “ice”, police found 1.4m pesos ($31,000) in cash a strip bar and a jacuzzi, across 20 air-conditioned “villas”, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said. “They are here to serve jail time but instead, they’re living like kings,” de Lima told reporters after the raid. Bilibid, on the outskirts of Manila was built for 8,900 inmates but currently houses 23,000.
N Korea wants UN Security Council to discuss CIA torture
UNITED NATIONS: North Korea yesterday asked the United Nations Security Council to add the issue of torture by the US Central Intelligence Agency to its agenda and to establish an investigation to ensure those responsible are held to account for human rights abuses.
The request by Pyongyang came as two-thirds of the 15-member council push for the human rights situation in North Korea to be added to the agenda.
US Marine charged with murder
MANILA: Philippine prosecutors yesterday charged a US Marine with murder over the death of a Filipino woman, in a case that has fanned anti-American sentiment and tested close military ties. Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton used “treachery, abuse of superior authority and cruelty” against his alleged victim, lead prosecutor Emilie Fe delos Santos said as she announced the charge. “We believe we have a strong case,” delos Santos said.Agencies
