MANILA, Philippines (Eagle News) — Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre has formally recommended Dangerous Drugs Board Chairman Ret. Gen. Dionisio Santiago to the position of Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief after the irrevocable resignation of BuCor Director General Benjamin Delos Santos on July 13.
In his letter to President Rodrigo Duterte, Aguirre said that he recommended Santiago-also a former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff—to ensure the continuity of leadership and programs that deal with the eradication of illegal drug transactions inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) and other national penitentiaries under the supervision of the Department of Justice.
Santiago has already served as BuCor head from June 2003 to September 2014.
The chief of the administrative division, Rey Raagas, was appointed officer-in-charge of BuCor pending President Rodrigo Duterte’s response to Aguirre’s recommendation.
Delos Santos resigned after Duterte himself confirmed that there was a resurgence of drug trade in the NBP after it had been suppressed in the first months of his administration. (Erwin Temperante, Eagle News Service)
