(Eagle News)–Senate President Tito Sotto believes the three Bureau of Corrections officials who were supposed to testify to corruption in the bureau in the Senate on Thursday, Sept. 12, backed out at the last minute for fear they would be killed.
Sotto noted the three backed out right after the killing of prison guard Edgardo Ferrer on the day of the hearing.
According to Sotto, based on information he received, Ferrer, the father of a member of the Senate’s security personnel, was told by the suspect he was only ordered to kill him.
Sotto also noted the killing of Ruperto Traya, chief administrative officer at the BuCor’s Inmate Document Processing Division, on August 27.
The spate of killings comes as the Ombudsman, apart from the Senate joint panel, probes corruption in BuCor, and suspended over 27 BuCor officials in the process.
President Rodrigo Duterte has also sacked Nicanor Faeldon as BuCor director-general over the release of convicts of heinous crimes, several of them reportedly under the Good Conduct Time Allowance for sale scheme.
Prior to Ferrer’s killing, the three BuCor officials, Sotto said, had promised to tell all.
On Thursday, at least two people testified to corruption and illegal drug activities in the New Bilibid Prison Hospital.
Former BuCor officer in charge Rafael Ragos also detailed the money-making schemes in BuCor, claiming Senator Leila de Lima, then the justice secretary, benefited from the same.
De Lima has denied the allegations. With a report from Meanne Corvera
