Drones may be able to fly over prison walls, but they won’t get past Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) guards, watchtowers and closed-circuit television cameras, BuCor director general Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said.

Catapang dismissed the prospect of drone-assisted escapes from BuCor facilities, saying the devices would attract attention long before they could help inmates make a getaway.

“All our Operating Prison and Penal Farms are no-fly zones, and we have watchtowers manned 24/7 which immediately alert our guards if there are attempts to escape through drones,” Catapang said.

“Aside from being noisy, drones can be detected immediately because our facilities are equipped with CCTV,” he added.

Catapang made the statement in response to questions about the possible use of drones to facilitate escapes, deliver contraband, or conduct unauthorized surveillance of correctional facilities.

He said the sound of drone motors, particularly at low altitudes, would alert prison personnel and security systems.

CCTV cameras installed across BuCor facilities also allow security personnel to monitor prison grounds, perimeters, buildings and restricted areas. Any drone spotted within or near a facility could be recorded and tracked, enabling authorities to respond quickly, Catapang said.

Catapang said even if a drone managed to carry equipment, communication devices or other materials into a facility, it would likely be detected before it could accomplish its purpose.

For inmates hoping for a high-flying exit, Catapang’s message was clear: The drone may take off, but the escape plan won’t.