Repost: The Truth About the Philippines' "Sunshine Prison": A Paradise for the Connected, A Purgatory for the Rest

I have been imprisoned in the so-called "Sunshine Prison" for nearly two months. The term "sunshine" is merely a facade to cover up corruption.

Upon arrival, law enforcement said, "Once you're in Sunshine, there's no getting out." Yet, we witnessed a group from AG Corporation being "bailed" out of jail in less than half a month.

We tried to apply for bail but received no response, no procedure, no answer. Is bail even a legal procedure? If so, why is it only accessible to privileged individuals? If not, how did AG's people get out?

AG is the largest Pogo company in the Philippines. The government verbally "fights illegal Pogo" but actually allows AG to bypass the immigration bureau and directly use connections through the Presidential Office and senators to get out of jail. We ordinary workers don't even have the qualifications to apply.

The treatment inside the prison is worlds apart: we sleep on the floor, use foul-smelling toilets, and have to pay 200 pesos for water; whereas the privileged area on the sixth floor has beds, air conditioning, and hot meals, accessible to anyone with money.

As long as you're willing to spend money, all rules can be broken: mobile phones, takeout, slot machines are all available, and there's even a casino controlled by the "underground boss" Yang Jianxin. Meanwhile, we get beaten for using a mobile phone.

This place is not a prison, it's a money-making machine; it's not law enforcement, it's a trading place for power and money.

We are not criminals, we just want fairness and dignity. If no one responds, we will continue to expose and unveil the truth of "Sunshine Prison" to the world.