Palace welcomes suspension of BuCor officials by Ombudsman

September 10, 2019

Malacanang welcomed on Tuesday an investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman against 27 suspended officials of the Bureau of Corrections following the release of heinous crime convicts using the law on good conduct time allowance.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said President Rodrigo Duterte himself had asked the Ombudsman to conduct a probe against BuCor officials.

"And apparently, they found probable cause, hence the suspension of 27 officials of that office," he said.

With the investigation being conducted by the anti-graft body, Panelo, also the chief presidential legal counsel, said the Palace expects  the truth would come out.

"Well, the expectation is we want the truth on the matter in the Bureau to come out so that heads will roll," he stressed.

Prior to the probe by the Ombudsman, Duterte fired BuCor chief Nicanor Faeldon following the GCTA controversy.

Less than 2,000 inmates convicted of heinous crimes were released using the GCTA.

Rapist-murderer Antonio Sanchez, former mayor of Calauan, Laguna, was supposed to benefit from the GCTA. But due to the public uproar, Duterte ordered that Sanchez could not be freed.

While he dismissed Faeldon, Duterte said he still trusts the former BuCor chief. Celerina Monte/DMS