Catapang to be named BuCor chief

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang is set to appoint former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gregorio Catapang Jr. as the new director general of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to replace Gerald Bantag, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla announced yesterday.

During a ceremony for the release of 340 inmates at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa yesterday, Remulla said Catapang’s official appointment may happen “in a matter of hours.”

“Just a while ago when Catapang was introduced, he was called ‘acting BuCor director.’ The next time I come here, he will be the next BuCor chief. I am counting by the hours before we get the signed appointment papers from the President,” Remulla said.

Catapang was designated acting BuCor chief following the suspension of Bantag in October last year over the murders of Percy Lapid and inmate Jun Villamor last year.

Remulla said he would push for Catapang’s appointment as BuCor chief during a Cabinet meeting today.

When asked why the Department of Justice (DOJ) took three months to dismiss Bantag, Remulla said, “We are not in the business of replacing people just like that. We have to study everything and we have to wait for the developments to come in.”

Bantag has been tagged as the brains in the murders of Lapid and Villamor, harassing inmates and torturing prison guards.

Aside from murder charges, Bantag is also facing administrative sanctions for allowing convicted kidnapper and former military general Jovito Palparan to be interviewed by SMNI television network without the BuCor’s approval last year.

Last week, the DOJ suspended Bantag for another 90 days.