5 Bilibid officials axed over Leviste’s caper

MANILA, Philippines - Four executives and a prison guard of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) were dismissed from the service for the unauthorized trip of convicted killer and former Batangas governor Antonio Leviste in 2011.

In a resolution released yesterday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) found former NBP chief superintendents Armando Miranda and Ramon Reyes, former minimum security compound heads Dante Cruz and Roberto Rabo, and Prison Guard I Fortunato Justo, guilty of grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial to the interest of service.

The DOJ said the five failed to exercise prudence, caution and attention, and should be held accountable for their acts and omissions.

It said Miranda erred in approving the “sleep-out” privilege of Leviste, which gave him a chance to escape.

A “sleep-out” status is granted to a prisoner who is allowed to stay and sleep outside the minimum security compound (MSC) without having to report back at night.

It was found that such privilege was not contained in the Bureau of Correction (Bucor)’s operating manual and was being granted only on the prerogative of the NBP chief superintendent, a post Miranda previously held.

“Miranda was highly remiss in his duty when he failed to institute reforms and policies against the existing unlawful practices within the premises of the NBP,” the DOJ order, signed by Secretary Leila de Lima last July 11, said.

The DOJ said Miranda violated the rules when he allowed the transfer of eight other prisoners to the Agro Section upon Leviste’s request, for conducting the headcount of the nine prisoners outside the MSC, and for failing to stop the abuse of “sleep-out” privileges.

Reyes, who headed the NBP at the time of Leviste’s caper, was penalized for failing to address the issue and for not canceling the “sleep-out” privileges.

The DOJ said Cruz failed to implement rules and regulations as former head of the MSC. It was he who recommended to Miranda that the headcount of Leviste and the eight other prisoners be transferred from the MSC to the Agro Section.

For his part, Rabo was found liable after he admitted receiving raw information from Reyes about Leviste’s previous capers, while Justo was found to have been remiss in his duties as custodian of the former governor.

The five Bilibid officials were earlier placed on 90-day preventive suspension, pending the result of the preliminary investigation by the DOJ panel.

A Makati court sentenced Leviste from six to 12 years imprisonment for killing his former aide. He was committed to the NBP on Jan. 26, 2009.

In July 2010, the former Batangas governor was classified as a minimum security prisoner due to old age.