BuCor Director Gerald Quitaleg Bantag. Photo from the Department of Justice)
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has summoned Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag following the construction of a wall to restrict the access of Katarungan Village residents to the road inside the New Bilibid Prison security facility.
DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra confirmed to INQUIRER.net on Saturday that he had summoned Bantag with regards to the development.
Earlier, Guevarra advised the BuCor to suspend any further construction of barricades or walls to restrict the access of Katarungan Village residents. The Justice Department does not exercise control over BuCor “except on quasi-judicial matters only,” according to Guevarra.
Asked by INQUIRER.net if this meant that the DOJ could only advise but not order BuCor to suspend the activity, Guevarra said in a Viber message: “Sadly, that is true.”
“Control means the power to reverse, set aside, modify, or suspend an action or a decision of a subordinate official. supervision is ensuring that a subordinate is not acting beyond the limits of his authority. In the case of the BuCor, we at the DOJ must first be informed of the reasons for the closure of the road, before we take any appropriate supervisory action,” Guevarra added.
“I have advised the BuCor to hold any further construction until we have discussed the underlying reasons or justification, and the proper consultations with the LGU and the communities affected have been conducted,” he continued.
BuCor has constructed a wall to a road giving access to residents of Katarungan Village 1 and Katarungan Village 2 on Friday.
The residents, however, destroyed the wall erected by BuCor personnel on Saturday. In response, BuCor destroyed the road on Saturday, according to the city government.
BuCor firm
“BuCor stands firm on its position on the intensified and continued efforts in performing its mandates,” the bureau said in a statement on Saturday.
BuCor said the measure adopted was in response to “several incidents and reports on illegal activities perpetuated” inside the NBP.
Meanwhile, the city council held an emergency special session on Saturday and passed a resolution to declare Bantag as persona non grata. The resolution will be signed on Monday.
Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi earlier condemned the BuCor move.
“BuCor’s action to block the road is not only a disregard for the local government but clearly shows a lack of respect for the rights of Muntinlupeños. This does not end here,” Fresnedi said in a statement in Filipino.
In March this year, the BuCor erected a wall on Insular Prison Road, one of the roads in the NBP Reservation which provides access for residents of Southville 3 to and from Barangay Poblacion proper and the city proper. Another wall was also erected in an access road inside the NBP compound in Type B Magdaong.
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