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a different
world which only the strongest
endure life in Billy bid is very
punished anyone screwing up ends up in
solitary confin
all this behind [Music]
[Music] bars
bars [Music]
[Music] gangs
harassment a daily survival of the [Music]
[Music] fittest
fittest
world Manila the capital of the
Philippines a city of
extremes on the oneand Modern
Skyscrapers luxurious shopping malls and
wealth on the other hand extreme
Poverty onethird of manila's 13 million
inhabitants live in
slums lives dominated by violence and
crime huge quantities of cocaine and
heroin are being constantly found in
police raids Fierce battles rage between
drugs anyone caught by the police ends
up here a new Billy bid prison the main
prison in the
Philippines camp sagu
is part of a mega Prison Complex and is
one of the toughest prisons in the
world it was designed to hold
1,500 offenders but more than 8,000 are
currently incarcerated here that means
up to 90 hardened criminals crammed into
25 squ met cells and catastrophic hygienic
conditions every week new inmates arrive
making the situation even [Applause]
[Applause]
worse on arrival the men go through a
rigorous admissions [Music]
[Music]
guards I count the prisoners
PES I'm also looking for cigarettes and
objects the biggest threat is a new
arrival smuggling weapons into the jail
at worst these weapons could be used to incite
riots next prisoners are given numbers
to replace their names their
personalities are reduced to just a few digits
to remember your prisoner number well
okay we carry out regular head counts we
need you to keep to the
rules are we clear about the
numbers and are we clear about the
rules don't forget if you want an early
rules one one of the new arrivals is
35-year-old rondelle he has been
convicted of attempted murder an
jealousy I have no idea what to expect
now I never thought I'd end up
it maybe I can go back to school here
and then have more opportunities when I
get out of prison
Wings Camp sagita prison has a total of seven
wings wings one and two hold prisoners
manslaughter Wing four houses the prison
undisturbed Wing six is for those jailed
for drug rated offenses they should not
others Wings five and seven are for
older prisoners and foreigners These
infirmary solitary confinement and a
section housing inmates who work for the prison
Administration it's the turn of new
arrival Rondell under close guard he
interior guards assigned Rondell to Wing
won the Jail's most notorious Wing the
most violent criminals are held here
scared I hope the others won't do
anything to
me Rond Del was living a normal life
until 2 years ago no gangs no drugs then
he got into to a fight and almost killed
completely he now shares a cell with
dangerous criminals gang members Thugs and
thieves Wing one is hopelessly
overcrowded like the rest of the
jail the overcrowding is due to an anti
drug campaign by former president
dwti during his 6 years in office the
police arrested more than
350,000 people for drug offenses alone
resulting in prisons in the Philippines
bursting at the
seams new arrival Rondell is assigned to
cell 119 by the guards the cell leader
him
behaves cell 119 is also massively
overcrowded no one here likes having to
person the cell leader shows Rondell his
bunk as the new guy he gets the worst
spot in the cell right next to the toilet
okay every available space in the cell
is used for sleeping including the floor
inmates despite night temperatures
exceeding 30° C there is just one fan
cell to live together under these
rules the most important thing that you
have to remember and
here is that you cannot cannot lose your
temper and you must keep to the prison
rules because if you actually end up
getting into a quarrel with someone
you're going to get everyone around you
into a lot of
trouble the guards punish any quarrels
harshly I'm glad and grateful that the
cell leader has accepted me and given me
somewhere to
sleep during his first night Rondell
will not leave his bunk at night when
everyone is in the cell there is simply
no room for prisoners to move around
the cells are so full that some
yard the next morning the city is slowly
life at the new Billy bid prison the day
starts at 6:00 sharp with the morning head
head count
[Applause]
now we count the inmates in each
time 25 cells spread over three
floors each cell holds around 90
prisoners to keep control despite the
overcrowding guards count the prisoners
several times a day
2 8 9 10 11 12 14 29 30 31 32 33 34
number during the headcount the guards
also check that everything is in order
in the cells whether there's a dispute
or someone is sick so far everything looks
looks
good the guards now check the cell of
Rondell 11 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 37
38 39 14
41 overcrowded cells have been a
miserable daily reality for most inmates
for years
and for Rondell the situation is very
stressful I hardly slept at all last
suspiciously [Music]
[Music]
after the morning headcount inmates stay
wings they can't yet go out into the
prison's large inner yard which at least
space breakfast is served at 7 o'
sharp first the old and higher ranking
prisoners new arrival rondelle has to
wait and hope that there is still some
him his fellow inmates use the time to
rules the most important thing is to
obey the gods follow the rules and keep
out of
fights if you don't cause problems for
the gods they'll leave you alone and
easier finally it's rondelle's turn his
first meal since entering the prison
soup meals are eaten in the cells
because the prison doesn't have a canteen
the food is well let's say it's
bit but food is the least of rondelle's
moment I have no idea what will happen
today I'm keeping a low profile and
me
trouble the worst thing is I'm really
children while the other inmates are
killing time [Music]
[Music]
cell this is our toilet and
buckets there's a schedule for
showering it starts at 12:00 no um at
1:00 it's
tough just one bathroom for 92 people no
running water catastrophic hygienic
cell it's okay where I
sleep but it's really hot and humid in
here it's hard to cope
fan my pre-trial jail was
different far less harsher than here in Billy
Billy
strict there's no privacy nowhere to put
your personal belongings at least not
for most
inmates those at the top get the luxury
of a tiny
here in
that a luxury that a new arrival like
of despite the overcrowding the
situation in the prison is relatively
manageable as long as the inmates remain
wings until being L out into the yard
between 8:00 in the morning and 3:00
p.m. prisoners are permitted to roam
around the entire prison ground
for the guards it is the most dangerous
part of the day all 8,000 prisoners from
the different Wings come together
inevitable to keep the situation under
control there is the inmate control
Administration eeka for
short specially selected prisoners work
as assistant
guards they can intervene at any time
also with
Force they get privileges rather than
money for their work for example their own
accommodation video surveillance is also
yard Rondell has an important
appointment the new arrivals are getting
Al one more signature and Rondell is
finally an inmate at new Billy bid
prison he now has to wear his T-shirt
meanwhile at the other end of the prison
lunch is being prepared for the 8,000
prisoners three meals per day are
provided inmates do the cooking like in
any prison a job in the kitchen is extremely
popular we don't get any money but
that's actually okay
the work is a
distraction and we feel we are doing
something useful by cooking for our fellow
fellow
inmates a kitchen job is only open to
those who have passed a psychological
test and who have not been in any kind
of trouble in the
prison guards keep a close eye on the
times my main task is to stop arguments
important with all the people working
with sharp
knives the prisoners have knives but the
guards are unarmed their only option in
an emergency is to raise the Alarm by
radio all of course it's
risky especially as we don't carry weapons
weapons
before each shift I pray that nothing
bad will
happen officer dearo has been lucky so
far but it's not something he can ever
be certain
of the prison serves up to 4 and 1/2
tons of rice to the inmates every day
this sounds like a huge quantity but it
amounts to just 500 G of rice per
prisoner per day plus some vegetables or
fish just just enough to survive but too
stomach those with enough money from
relatives can buy extra food at the prison
Market almost everything is available
here from fresh fish and meat to soft ice
cream the Stalls are run by inmates they
buy the goods from the prison management
profit it's a system that mainly
benefits the prison it saves money on
content one of the Traders is ranilo
drugs I began building a new life for
myself here when I arrived in
2019 and that's when I asked the guard
in charge for permission to have the
stall and he gave it to me and I decided
I was going to do it like this so I can
cover my daily needs and not have to
burden my
family inmates also have to provide
their own toothpaste soap and
clothing those without money don't have
prison
outside prison I had a vegetable stall
businessman I would say I have a pretty
business on a regular day I'll take in
around 700
pesos and I'll end up with a 150 pesos
over the equivalent of
$260 enough to live a relatively good
prison new Billy bid prison one of the
world the next headcount is due inmates
must return to their C if they're not
there they'll get into
trouble we report any violation of the
rules another department will then
decide on the
punishment anyone regularly getting into
at 12:00 sharp the last prisoner Returns
prisoners I closed the cells after
situation lock up however is not until the
evening
each Wing is staffed by just two guards per
per
shift two guards for more than 2,000
prisoners head counts are the only way
check if someone is missing we will
quickly notice
it we count the prison as four times a
p.m. the guards are unarmed during
afraid it's my
risks but I have to deal with
them and we have people watching out for us
us
despite the Staffing problems a clever
system of control is in place to prevent
the prison from descending into
chaos selected inmates working for the
prison management ensure order and
security Prevail within the
wings in addition to the cell leaders
governors as the governor I'm respons
for security in this
building talking to people making sure they
they
behave there is actually a chance for
early release from this prison that's
why I keep telling them reminding them
guards Governors are selected by the
prison Jimmy Tang used to be a police
chief in a small municipality until he
shot dead a
colleague allegedly in
self-defense he found being on the other
side extremely difficult at
first actually I've come face to face
here with some of the people that I put
in jail back when I was chief of
police and honestly at first I feared
for my life because I thought they could
actually kill
me many of the inmates are former gang
members they meet their Archen enemies
in jail and might even have to share a
cell with them the prison takes a hard
line to prevent
fights gang activities were quite common
but now gangs are strictly forbidden
here we've virtually wiped them all out
gang leaders in this prison have also
agreed to
it people must learn to coexist
they have learned to coexist to get
along with each other just as they will
have to do later when they are free and
living a normal life on the
outside any gang activity is punished
any gang tattoos are made unrecognizable
management it's a measure that is having
a positive impact disputes and fights
here the guards are still doing the head [Music]
[Music]
count they carefully count everyone in
each cell after all the worst criminals
[Music]
here I checked all the sales
the numbers are
correct all inmates are present nobody's
missing there's one thing the guards
fear the most that one of the inmates
[Applause]
escape to ensure that this does not
happen a 6 M High double fence made of
Barb Wire surrounds the prison getting
impossible 10 watchtowers also surround
the prison
complex they give guards a view of every
meter of the [Music]
fence high voltage current ensures that
no one climbs over the
fence even slight contact will be
sufficient to immobilize or even kill a person
person
Andi I have strict orders to shoot any
escape some have tried but so far no one
has managed to escape from this
prison heavily armed security guards at
the entrance ensure that nothing can be
prison at the beginning of a ship the
guards search each other everyone is
cigarettes despite all the checks as in
any prison inmates still find ways to
smuggle in Forbidden items so sell raids
take place daily
daily
okay today we're searching Wing 4 A
A
your job is to secure the building and
us guard the doors so no one can enter
cells
understood okay let's
go prison management determines when and
where a raid will take place even the
guards don't know beforehand which Wing
they will be
searching in mates won't get any
away EAS also assist guards here first
block every inmate is thoroughly
search no one can then later claim that
them the guards are looking for drugs
we check every inch
inch wall
here resarch the cupboards and under the
beds and we check for anything inside the
the
pillowcases or in their
bedding they often try to hide stuff in it
it
thorough the EA in particular know no
mercy if they miss anything they could
[Applause]
privileges okay all right we're
done we found nothing prohibited nothing
illegal this Wing is clean very good
come on everybody out pull out pull
out nothing was found
today but the rans sack cells clearly
demonstrate to inmates who is in charge
[Music] prison
whoever violates the prison rules will
eventually end up here in solitary
confinement known as
bolina a sparse cell with no bed or
television minimum stay 4
weeks Kimberly who is half American has
even been here for half a year
ostensibly for his own protection he got
got into fights with several other
inmates it's really hard because you
have no
visitations all of your privileges they
were going to remove it from you they
are all walking around they are playing
basketball I get jealous cuz I am I'm an
athlete supposed to play with them but
the thing is I'm not
allowed Kimberly has spent the past 6
months watching the others from afar but
at least he is sharing the sparse cell
with two other inmates at the
moment the first time that I been here
uh it's really hard for me especially
I'm alone here that time
I'm getting into crazy yeah I'm talking
to myself that time because I'm alone
I've been six months here so that 6
months maybe it's enough for me to you
know to go out it remains uncertain when
Kimberly will be allowed back in the
regular wing
one thing is for sure he will do
everything he can to never end up here
again to avoid getting into such a
situation in the first place new arrival
Rondell stays in his cell during yard
time and starts making friends one thing
here the worst thing is being away from my
my
here yes and there's absolutely nothing
it then it's time for sell chores as a
new arrival Rondell has to do the most
tasks we need to get water for the entire
cell they're going to the water filling
station on the other side of the
yard we have to line up over
there does it cost
anything no the water's
free but we have to get water for
everyone from now on you're going to
day the pron was first opened in 1940
and has never really been modernized
since the few water pipes to the cells
are half gone and the water contaminated with
with
germs Rondell will now have to carry 100
lers of water from the water station to
the cell every day until the next new arrival
arrival
comes fortunately my friend is helping
me carry the water back to the cell
cell [Applause]
go daytime at new Billy bid prison is
coming to an end this means that
prisoners will soon be crammed together
again into a very small
space at night everyone is locked in
their cells for many this is
psychologically very
stressful it's therefore another
critical moment for the guards who are
now at least armed with a
baton exactly I locked the CES at 6:00
shop inmates with jobs also have to be
then for the inmates the worst part of
begins they will spend the next 12 hours
cells it is virtually impossible to move
distractions they're alone with their
fears new arrival Rondell is learning
way
life in here is really
tough things that are easy to do on the
outside suddenly become impossible
here and it's so crowded many here are
lonely they come from far away parts of
the Philippines and never get visitors
easy
Trader ronilo has at least a little
privacy he's only been here 3 years but
he still has the luxury of his own
it I ended up getting this cubicle to
myself because I worked for the occupant
who lived here
before among other things I did is
laundry for
months the cubicle measures just a tiny
1 and A2 Square met
but it provides a space for peace and
his personal [Music]
things I have a wife and three daughters
on the
outside they standing with
me I really missed them and I pray to
God that I can be with them again
soon in the Philippines families are
very important Rolo's most valuable
possession are the photos of his [Music]
[Music]
children I look at their pictures
whenever I'm missing them a whole
lot he also gets comfort from his cats
they're a kind of substitute family she
Christine this one is alas
[Music]
evening time for the evening
headcount although the inmates are
locked up the guards again count the
now we're doing the last count of the
escape the guards are therefore especially
after the head count it's lights
out the TV has to be switched off it's
the only thing distracting the inmates
at least a little from their [Music]
[Music]
situation packed tightly together they
get ready for the long night ahead many
then the only light in the cell goes
out only after the guards have closed
sleep the cells are so crowded that some
inmates have to sleep
outside a privilege given the
circumstances a privilege only GR Ed to
sick one last Security check in the [Applause]
then we' finished our rounds
now now we can take a break
break
the midnight rounds will be done by
other colleagues
rest guards at new Billy bed prison work
off breaks are taken in a separate area
inside the
prison the office also serves as a dormatory
dormatory
for guard kabili it remains his dream
job at first I found the job really hard
but I've gotten used to it now I provide
security that's what I like about being a
night while guard kabil and his
colleagues are taking their break the
EAS ensure peace and quiet is maintained
throughout the
Rondell he has another very special job
to do a job that every new arrival has
months my task is to be the
Watcher I watch the others sleep and
nightmares I then wake them so that nothing
nothing
anyone I do this for a few hours then
somebody else takes
later
prison prisoners are allowed visitors
eagerly [Music]
[Music]
rondelle is getting a visit from his
you mayay couldn't come with
me her father had been really ill and
has now died that's terrible how is
she Rondell has not seen his sister
since his arrest two years ago the
pre-trial prison was too far away and
the trip was too expensive for a [Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
sister I'm very
lonely but not anymore knowing someone
is out there waiting for me and thinking
about me keeps me motivated and gives me
hope I'm missing my family so much
much
I would be even happier if my children
could come but that's not
allowed they have just 1 hour then
visiting time is [Music]
over I'm glad he's okay and hope he gets out
out
soon saying goodbye is difficult for
both of them Rondell will be alone again
far away from his [Music]
family until the next visit he'll have
to cope with his situation by himself
the crowded dorms the task a new arrival
future it's been okay so
far I stay in the cellar lots and only
first I don't want any trouble with
other inmates or
guards if I don't leave my cell I won't
fights I want to get out of here as soon
as possible and get back to my kids and my
my
family but a lot of time will pass
before then time in which he wouldn't
wrong ranillo has at least 10 years
him it's a long time and one of the
prisons [Music]
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