De Lima to PNP: Leave no stone unturned in probing murder of BuCor exec

August 31, 2019

Senator Leila de Lima has expressed alarm over the recent killing of a Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) official whose death is being linked to the cancelled release of former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

De Lima said the death of Ruperto Traya, Jr., BuCor’s chief administrative officer 3, calls for thorough investigation by the Philippine National Police (PNP) to identify the motive behind his murder.

The police force should leave no stone unturned in probing the murder of Mr. Traya by pursuing all possible angles for his death so we can give justice to him and his family, hold the assailant accountable for his crime, and determine the real motive for this killing,” she added.

Traya, assigned at the BuCor’s Inmate’s Document Processing Division, was  shot dead by motorcycle-riding men as he was about to open the gate of his rented parking lot along Amparo street in Barangay Poblacion in Muntinlupa City last Aug. 27.

Traya’s murder happened at the height of the issue concerning the botched release of convicted murderer and rapist Sanchez, who was initially considered, along with some 11,000 inmates from the NBP, for early release under the Expanded Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) Law or Republic Act (RA) No. 10592.

BuCor spokesperson Sonny del Rosario said  the division where Traya was assigned was in charge of collating and processing all paperwork regarding the recomputation of the credits of around 11,000 convicts’ good conduct time allowance under the retroactive GCTA Law.

De Lima, a former justice secretary, said Traya’s death is alarming because it happened while the retroactive application of the GCTA law is gaining nationwide concern.  

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra recently ordered BuCor to suspend the processing of GCTA beneficiaries. DMS