By Jeffrey Damicog
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has expressed his preference for an outsider to become the next Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief, and not be chosen from among its current officials.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra (TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO /MANILA BULLETIN)
“I hope when the President makes his permanent appointment, he will choose someone from the outside,” said Guevarra.
“Fresh blood will be infused to the BuCor,” he stated.
Recently, President Rodrigo Duterte fired former BuCor Director General Nicanor Faeldon over the release of undeserving inmates due to the implementation of the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA).
READ MORE: Duterte: I’m firing Faeldon
In the meantime, Guevarra has appointed as BuCor Deputy Director General Malvin Ramon Buenafe as its officer-in-charge.
READ MORE: Guevarra appoints BuCor OIC
In Department Order No. 468, Guevarra authorized Buenafe “to effect the movements of BuCor personnel” and “to adopt strict measures to ensure the integrity and proper safekeeping of the official records, particularly records of good conduct time allowances (GCTA) and other similar time credits.”
The Secretary also instructed Buenafe “to take appropriate steps for the formal revocation of release orders improvidently issued and for the re-commitment of Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) erroneously released from prison.”
Guevarra cited that the order was pursuant to the verbal directive given by Duterte during a press conference last Wednesday.
The Secretary also issued Department Order No. 469 which created an Interim Oversight Committee over the BuCor.
The committee has been tasked to “exercise close administrative supervision over the BUCOR until such time that a new Director General for the BUCOR has been appointed by the President.”
The committee is composed of Justice Undersecretary Deo Marco and Assistant Secretaries Neal Vincent Bainto and George Ortha II.