Duterte names former jail warden as BuCor chief

Duterte names former jail warden as BuCor chief

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed a former jail warden, Superintendent Gerald Bantag, as the new head of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), Malacañang announced on Tuesday, September 17.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte tapped Bantag in place of sacked BuCor director general Nicanor Faeldon because of the former jail warden's "competence and integrity."

"The Palace welcomes the appointment of Mr. Gerald Quitaleg Bantag as the new Director-General of the Bureau of Corrections," Panelo said in a statement.

"Mr. Bantag was appointed by the President as the new DG of the BuCor based on his professional competence and honesty," he added.

The new BuCor chief was named on the heels of the controversial early release of heinous crime convicts under Faeldon's leadership.

Data from the BuCor revealed that over 22,000 prisoners, including 1,914 heinous crime convicts, have been released from 2014 to early August this year. The number of freed heinous crime convicts significantly increased from 62 in 2014 to 816 in 2019.

The early freedom of inmates convicted of heinous crimes prompted Duterte to fire Faeldon by ordering the latter's "immediate resignation."

Duterte had also directed the conduct of an investigation against erring BuCor officials allegedly involved in the granting of good conduct time allowance (GCTA) to heinous crime convicts.

GCTA is credited against a prisoner's jail sentence, allowing early release of the prisoner.

Panelo said the Palace was optimistic that Bantag would help Duterte rid the BuCor of corruption.

"The Palace is behind the President's decision and is confident that DG Bantag will continue the Administration’s campaign against corruption as he spearheads reform initiatives in the Bureau," the Palace official said.

Bantag was the Parañaque City jail warden when 10 inmates died in August 2016 after a blast rocked his office.

Prior to his new appointment, he also served as the Manila City jail warden, where at least 35 prisoners were hurt during a commotion in October 2016. (SunStar Philippines)

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