Two Bureau of Corrections’ (BuCor) ranking officials – one allegedly on the “illegal drugs watchlist” and the other a food caterer in one of the prison facilities -- have been relieved of their posts while investigation is ongoing.
BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. identified those relieved officials as Deputy Director General for Administration and Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) head C/Supt. Geraldo Aro, and Deputy Director General for Operations and Head Executive Assistant (HEA) Angelina L. Bautista.
The investigation and the removal from the posts were a result of the issues raised by Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan S Fernandez, chairman of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety, against Aro and Bautista during a congressional hearing last Aug. 3.
Fernandez said that Aro has been in the illegal drugs watchlist of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, while Bautista was the owner of a food catering service that won the P21 million contract to provide food for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City.
During the hearing, Bautista said she was no longer working for the government when she won the contract and no longer catered for the CIW after 2018 due to conflict of interest when she was offered by then BuCor Director General Gerald Q. Bantag to work at the bureau.
Bautista denied ownership of BuCor suppliers Preloved and IPX.
Catapang ordered Deputy Director General Al I. Perreras to investigate Aro and Bautista over issues raised Fernandez.
“I have given Perreras until end of this month to finish his investigation,” Catapang said as he pointed out that the probe would give Aro and Bautista the chance to prove their innocence.
“I asked that I be relieved of my position so as not to taint the good name of our director general,” said Bautista, a retired senior inspector of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
BuCor, in a statement, said that “Aro was ordered to report to the Office of the Director General for further instruction while Bautista was ordered to report at the Office of the DDG for administration for proper disposition.”
It said that Catapang has designated C/Supt. Rufino Martin as acting superintendent of the DPPF and CT/Supt. Maria Fe Marquez as acting HEA.
It also said that Celso S. Bravo has been designated as acting deputy director general for operations and CT/Supt. Elsa Alabado as deputy director for administration.