Duterte appoints Faeldon as new BuCor chief

President Rodrigo Duterte has chosen Nicanor Faeldon to replace Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa as head of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).

Dela Rosa has been considered resigned after he filed his certificate of candidacy to run for the Senate in 2019.

Faeldon is currently Deputy Administrator of the Office Civil Defense (OCD) He was former head of the Bureau Customs (BoC) but resigned following the testimony of customs broker Mark Taguba on the shipment of P6.4 billion shabu that opened a can of worms on corruption inside the agency.

“The DOJ (Department of Justice) has interposed no objections to the proposed appointment of Mr. Faeldon and is now seeking the favorable endorsement of the civil service commission as part of the requirements under the BuCor Act of 2013,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra told reporters.

Last year, the DOJ cleared Faeldon and several others of illegal drugs charges filed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

READ: DOJ clears Faeldon, et al. on smuggling of P6.4-B shabu

Faeldon is one of the soldiers given amnesty under Proclamation 75, same as Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

President Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation 572 revoking the amnesty given to Trillanes.

Faeldon earlier said that if there is an irregularity on the amnesty, he is ready to go back to jail.

READ: Ex-mutineer Faeldon backs Duterte argument, ready to go back to jail

As BuCor head, he will have supervision over seven operating prison units including the Abuyog Penal Colony in Leyte, Correctional Institute for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City, Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro, San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City, New Bilibid Prison and the Davao Prison and Penal Farm.  /muf