‘Bantag does not remember anything about stabbing inmates,’ says lawyer

Suspended BuCor chief Gerald Bantag (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — The lawyer of suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag on Thursday belied allegations that his client stabbed inmates.

Atty. Rocky Balisag said Bantag never hurt any prisoner as he responded to accusations made by two gang leaders in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) that the beleaguered BuCor chief stabbed them.

“He said wala naman. We will just wait kung ano man ang reklamo na ifa-file, but he does not remember anything about stabbing inmates,” he said in an interview on CNN Philippines. “He is denying participation in the stabbing,”

(He told me that there’s no stabbing incident. We will wait for the complaints, but he does not remember anything about stabbing inmates.)

“Wala, wala. According to him, wala siyang sinaktan,” he added.

READ: 2 Bilibid gang leaders to file criminal raps vs ex-BuCor chief Bantag

Balisag said such allegations against Bantag can be expected, claiming there is a “trend” of accusing the BuCor chief of wrongdoings.

“Expected ‘yan kasi nakikita natin ang trend na kasalanan daw niya. Ginagamit ang mga PDL (persons deprived of liberty). Baka may mga lalabas pa,” he said.

“Kung minsan tinatawanan na niya kasi parang iniimbento na ang allegations. Tinatawanan na lang niya kasi hindi totoo,” Balisag added.

(Sometimes, he just laughs at it because some accusations seem made up. He just laughs at them because they’re not true.)

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