Department of Justice (DoJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Thursday that it is up to Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag whether or not to go on leave while the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) investigates the deaths of high-profile inmates at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
“We leave it entirely to Bantag’s sound discretion,” Guevarra told reporters.
“But the DoJ will ensure that the NBI’s investigation will remain free and unhampered.”
Guevarra reacted to calls for Bantag be removed or allow him to go on leave over his failure to properly disclose the deaths of Jaybee Sebastian and eight other high-profile inmates at the Bilibid.
The inmates who were convicted for illegal drugs reportedly died of COVID-19 last Saturday and were cremated 12 hours after allegedly without informing their respective families.
Last Monday, Bantag confirmed to Guevarra that Sebastian and eight other high-profile convicts have died of COVID-19.
Several lawmakers refused to buy Bantag’s assertion that they want to conduct an honest-to-goodness investigation on the matter.
Guevarra also clarified he has no power to have Bantag removed since “the DOJ exercises supervision, not control, over the bureau.”
“The BuCoR director general is appointed directly by the President, and the latter’s trust is the measure of the DG’s (director general) continuance in office,” he explained.
Prior this, Bantag refused to identify to media the persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) who have died from COVID-19 due to the Data Privacy Law.
To dispel doubts about the deaths of the high-profile inmates, Guevarra issued an order on Monday which directed the NBI to conduct an investigation. (Jeffrey Damicog)
