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Tolentino: Senate probe to shift focus from alleged 'mass grave' in NBP to Cataroja's escape

Philippines | National

Tolentino: Senate probe to shift focus from alleged 'mass grave' in NBP to Cataroja's escape

By Mario Casayuran

The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights chaired by Senator Francis Tolentino will now focus its investigation on how the earlier reported missing person deprived of liberty (PDL) was actually able to escape the premises of the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.

Tolentino issued the statement Friday, August 18, after authorities in Rizal province were able to arrest 25-year-old Michael Cataroja, an inmate inside the NBP’s Maximum Security Compound, more than a month after the prisoner was reported missing by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).

“Matutuon ngayon ang hearing ng Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights kung paano nakatakas si PDL Michael Cataroja at kung ano ang naging kapabayaan ng BuCor sa hearing sa Martes, Agosto 22 (The committee will determine how Cataroja was able to escape or it could be BuCor’s ineptitude,’’ he said.

The committee hearing will be held on August 22.

Cataroja, who is serving a prison term from 12 to 20 years—due to proven violations of Presidential Decree No. 612 or the Anti-Fencing Act Law—was first reported missing inside the Maximum Security Compound on July 15 before he was arrested on Thursday, August 17.

Tolentino’s panel earlier last week initiated a motu proprio inquiry following the reported alleged discovery of a mass grave besides a septic tank inside the national penitentiary after some ‘bone fragments’ were unearthed in the said location.

The Senate inquiry led by Tolentino has also unraveled a supposed scheme on how drug syndicates were able to smuggle and repack various illegal drug shipments inside the NBP compound.

Related Tags

mass grave NBP NBP inmates Francis Tolentino

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