BuCor welcomes Senate report on GCTA mess

THE Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) on Friday said it welcomed the report by four Senate committees that investigated last year’s Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) controversy.

In a 34-page report, the Senate Justice, Constitutional Amendments, Finance and Blue Ribbon committees said the BuCor must start a “massive change in personnel and in character” if it wants to regain the trust of the people.

In a statement, BuCor said the report was a “vindication” of the earlier assessment of the BuCor Director General Gerald Bantag when he assumed office last September.

They said Bantag has been dismayed with the BuCor’s corrupted system and has vowed to reform it.

“The BuCor, alas, is manned by rotten apples and corrupt officials. It is rotten to core, and from top to bottom,” the report said.

Bantag has put in place massive reforms since he assumed office. He ordered some BuCor personnel to undergo retraining and replaced them with Philippine National Police and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) personnel.

BuCor has also partnered with government agencies in securing the welfare of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) and in preventing illegal drug-related activities in the prison compounds.

The Corrections bureau also set up a PDL Helpdesk manned by BJMP personnel last December.

“The relatives of PDLs now have competent and trustworthy reception staff to transact with, versus the old practice where erring BuCor officers take advantage and illegally earn money [from] processing documents supposed to be free of charge,” it said.

The Senate probe was prompted by the questionable early release order of heinous crime convicts, including former Calauan, Laguna mayor Antonio Sanchez.

Ombudsman Samuel Martires approved the filing of charges against Inmates Documents and Processing Section Officer in Charge Ramoncito Roque, Senior Insp. Maria Belinda Bansil and Corrections officer Veronica Buño.

During Senate hearings, the three were found to have demanded and received P50,000 from Yalanda Camilon in exchange for the early release of her common-law husband from prison through GCTA.