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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Surprised, grateful' – Catapang on appointment as BuCor head

'Surprised, grateful' – Catapang on appointment as BuCor head

Published Jan 23, 2023 03:10 pm

BuCor OIC Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr.

Former Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. was surprised as he expressed his gratitude for his expected appointment as director general of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) as announced by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla.

Remulla had said Catapang’s appointment by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will be released until tomorrow, Jan. 24, during the Cabinet meeting.

“Hindi ko ineexpect. Kahit acting o OIC, basta bigay lang ‘yung trabaho gawin natin (I did not expect it. Even if it’s just in the capacity as acting or officer-in-charge of the BuCor, just give me the job and I will do it,” Catapang told journalists.

Catapang was named officer-in-charge and later as acting director general of BuCor when BuCor Director General Gerald Q. Bantag was ordered preventively suspended by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Oct. 21, 2022 at the start of the probe on the involvement of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in the killing of radio commentator Percival “Percy Lapid” C. Mabasa on Oct. 3, 2022.

Bantag was preventively suspended anew by Remulla on account of an administrative case involving the media interview of a PDL without allegedly following standard guidelines.

“Of course nagpapasalamat sa mahal na Pangulo sa tiwala niya. Talagang trabaho lang po ang pinunta ko dito (Of course I thank the President for his trust. I came here just to do my work),” Catapang said.

He said that once he is appointed, “I can really do all the powers that is given to me as director general which is reform agenda full speed ahead.”

He said that since his appointment as officer-in-charge, he has been working hard to address “the mess left by Bantag.”

“So nanormalize ko na ‘yung situation. Ang next marching orders sa akin ngayon is regionalization. Within three to four years maisara na natin ‘yung New Bilibid Prison, hindi itong headquarters. We’ll be having a roadmap from 2023 up to 2028. Ano ang ineexpect ng ating mahal na Pangulo na magagawa pa natin. And then finally of course ‘yung reforms na kailangan (So we have normalized the situation. The next marching orders to me has been the regionalization of the prison system. Within three to four years we should be able to shut down the New Bilibid Prison, but not the headquarters. We’ll be having a roadmap from 2023 to 2028. Whatever the President expects from us we can do it. And then finally of course the much needed reforms),” he said.

TAGS: #Catapang #BuCor #Remulla #PBBM

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