2 Bilibid gang leaders to file criminal raps vs ex-BuCor chief Bantag
Gerald Bantag FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Two gang leaders at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) came forward and accused suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag of stabbing them.
BuCor Officer-in-Charge Gregorio Pio Catapang presented to the media Jonathan Cañete of “Batang Cebu” gang and Ronald Usman of “Batang Mindanao” gang.
Catapang said he would ask the Commission on Human Rights to assist the two gang leaders in filing the charges against the suspended BuCor chief.
Photo: JUCRA pool
“Kahit mga PDLs yan, may mga karapatan sila, hindi sila pwede saktan [Even if they are persons deprived of liberty, they still have rights and we shouldn’t hurt them],” Catapang said.
Usman said he would file a case because his right hand had been paralyzed due to the stabbing, while Cañete was stabbed in his left thigh.
Photo: JUCRA pool
Accompanied by Atty. Hermilo Barrios, the two gave details of what they experienced on February 1, 2022.
Usman said around 11:30 in the morning, the gang leaders were summoned to Bantag’s office about an inmate that escaped last January 17.
READ: 3 inmates escape from New Bilibid Prison’s maximum security compound
At the office, the two said Bantag was very drunk.
“Lasing na lasing po sya noon…sinaktan kami isa isa [He was very drunk. He hurt us one by one,” Usman told reporters.
Cañete said his position was nearest to Bantag, who took a kris — an asymmetrical bladed weapon — and started ripping his shirt, then pointing at his chest and pressing it.
He said he held the weapon and removed it from his chest.
“Sa galit nya dito nya sinaksak sa hita ko. [In his anger, he stabbed my thigh],” he said.
Then, when Usman’s turn came, he said Bantag held his hand and stabbed it through his right palm.
The following day, they were again summoned to Bantag’s office and were given P50,000 each.
“Ang sabi sa amin, pag hindi ninyo tanggapin ito, mas lalo kayong mamumroblema [If you do not accept it, you will have more problems],” Canete said, adding that because he is expecting to be released soon, he does not want any more problem, so he accepted the money.
“Sa buong buhay ko, 20 taon ako, ngayon lang nangyari sa akin ito [In my 20 years of stay, this is the first time this happened to me],” Canete said.
INQUIRER.net has reached out to Bantag through his counsel but has yet to respond as of posting time.
