MANILA, Philippines – Three more Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officials have been slapped with a six month preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman as the investigation continues into the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) mess.
Orders from the Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday added Correctional Institute for Women (CIW) Superintendent Maria Fe Marquez, BuCor Legal Division Chief Atty. Frederic Anthony Santos, and Correctional Officer III Joel Nalva to the list of suspended BuCor officials. Earlier, 27 BuCor were ordered suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman.
According to the Ombudsman, the three BuCor officials were identified by witnesses as among those who allegedly allowed the “questionable” release of inmates convicted of heinous crimes, under the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) program of Republic Act No. 10592.
“Testimonies of witnesses and the public documents gathered disclosed that respondent, in his official capacity, and in the course of performance of his public functions, allowed the questionable release of prison convicts in violation of the R.A. 10592,” the order signed by Ombudsman Samuel Martires said.
“This office finds that the evidence in the form of testimonies of witnesses and public documents showing the anomalous release of prisoners convicted of heinous crimes/offenses, appear to be strong,” the order for Marquez, Santos and Nalva read.
Marquez, Santos, and Nalva are also facing complaints for grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
The suspended BuCor officials, including former BuCor chief Nicanor Faeldon, are being probed by the Office of the Ombudsman in relation to the release of inmates convicted of heinous crimes, contrary to what Article 29 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by R.A. 10592, states.
Faeldon was sacked by President Rodrigo Duterte after he signed the release orders of former Calauan, Laguna mayor Antonio Sanchez, who was found guilty of the rape and murder of University of the Philippines Eileen Sarmenta. Sanchez, along with 10,000 other inmates, was supposed to be released because of the GCTA law.
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Suspended on Monday by the Ombudsman were BuCor officials Chief Supt. Gerardo Padilla, Senior Supt. Celso Bravo, SPO2 Ramoncito Roque and 24 others.
Marquez was previously accused by Senator Panfilo Lacson of facilitating the release of inmates convicted in the rape-slay of sisters Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong in Cebu in 1997. /muf
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