Ex-BuCor director Rafael Ragos dies
MANILA, Philippines — Former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Rafael Ragos has passed away, his family announced on Tuesday, August 12.
Ragos was one of Rep. Leila de Lima’s accusers when she was linked to the illegal drug trade.
His passing was announced in a post by his nephew Winston Ragos.
“Thank you Tito [Rafael] for your legacy in serving your family and our beloved country,” Ragos’ nephew said in a Facebook post.
The cause of his death was not disclosed.
Ragos was one of the witnesses who testified against De Lima in 2016 when she was accused of being responsible for the illegal drug trade within the New Bilibid Prison.
He claimed that P10 million was delivered to De Lima’s bodyguard, Ronnie Dayan, at her house.
The former BuCor chief recanted his statement in 2022, apologizing to her and saying he was coerced by then–justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to accuse her because he was afraid.
Ragos claimed to have received death threats after he refused to implicate De Lima any further.
De Lima spent seven years incarcerated, with her case facing frequent delays. A vocal critic of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, she was dubbed one of his administration’s political prisoners.
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