Two persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City have executed sworn statements which detail how they were “stabbed” last Feb. 1 by suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Q. Bantag.

“Kahapon kinunan na namin ng sworn affidavits itong mga dalawang sinaksak sa kamay at sa hita (We took the sworn statements of these two inmates who were stabbed on the hand and on the thigh),” BuCor Officer-In-Charge Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said on Wednesday, Dec. 21, during a radio interview.

“Hopefully mai-file namin before Friday yung kaso dito na sa Muntinlupa City. Dito naman nangyari yung krimen (Hopefully the complaints could be filed before Friday here in Muntinlupa City. The crime took place here anyway),” Catapang said.

Last Monday, Dec. 19, “Batang Cebu” gang leader Jonathan Canete and “Batang Mindanao” gang leader Ronald Usman told journalists they were allegedly stabbed by Bantag when they were summoned together with other gang leaders to discuss the escape of four prisoners last January.

“Sinabi nila na lasing na raw si Bantag, umakyat sila sa taas. Sa kanila nabunton ‘yung galit. Sinasabi nila ‘wala naman kaming kasalanan’ (They said Bantag was already drunk when they went upstairs to his office. Bantag ‘vented his anger against them.’ They said they ‘did nothing wrong’),” Catapang said.

He said there were several witnesses and one of them was BuCor Deputy Security Officer Ricardo S. Zulueta who was also present.

Bantag and Zulueta have been charged as “principals by inducement” in the deaths of radio commentator Percival “Percy Lapid” C. Mabasa and NBP inmate Cristito Villamor Palana, the alleged middleman who reportedly contacted self-confessed gunman Joel S. Escorial in the killing of the broadcaster last Oct. 3 in Las Pinas City.

The murder charges against Bantag and Zulueta and other suspects are now under preliminary investigation by a panel of prosecutors of the Department of Justice (DOJ) where the complaints were filed by the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police.

On the alleged stabbing incident, Catapang said: “Marami naman mag-testify diyan. Imagine doon nangyari ‘yan sa opisina niya. Na-witness pa ‘yan ni Zulueta tsaka yung mga ibang tao. So, kung kailangan ng karagdagang statements to corroborate makakakuha. Siguro pati yung hospital nairecord nila na talagang sinaksak sila (There are many persons who could testify. Imagine it took place inside Bantag’s office. Zulueta and other people witnessed it. So, if their statements need corroboration we can get. Maybe even the Bilibid hospital where they were treated has records that they were stabbed).”

He refuted claims from Bantag’s camp that the allegations of the two PDLs were concocted by crime bosses imprisoned at the Bilibid to get back at the suspended official for being strict.

“Kaya nga ang gagawin natin ipafile natin yung kaso sa proper forum (That is why we have to file the complaint before the proper forum),” he said.

Meanwhile, Catapang said he has ordered a probe on the reported stabbing incident of a PDL by a fellow inmate at the Leyte Regional Prison (LRP).

“Ngayon iniimbistigahan na namin ‘yung PDL na sumaksak at ang aming balita ay ito ay order ni Zulueta dahil parang hindi sila nagka-ige nung sinaksak niya sa mga utos ni Zulueta (We are now investigating the PDL and we got information that the stabbing incident was ordered by Zulueta),” he said.

“May sworn statement na yung pinagsasaksak e. Kinukuha namin ngayon ‘yung PDL na sumaksak sa Leyte (The victim has issued a sworn statement. We are now getting the inmate who did the stabbing in Leyte),” he also said.

Catapang said he met the stabbing victim at a hospital during his visit in Leyte. He said the victim used to be detained at the NBP but was reportedly transferred to LRP when he (victim) could no longer meet the “quota” allegedly imposed by Zulueta.

TAGS: #BuCor #Bantag #Zulueta