NBI exec Ragos named Bureau of Corrections OIC

MANILA, Philippines—Justice Secretary Leila De Lima appointed a new officer in charge for the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) in the aftermath of the grenade throwing incident last Friday.

De Lima appointed National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Deputy Director for Comptroller Services Rafael Z. Ragos as the new OIC of BuCor replacing Manuel Co who is the current Administrator of the Board of Pardons and Parole.

“I am very grateful and appreciative of all the hard work and sacrifices of Administrator Manny Co while he served as OIC of the BuCor,” De Lima said Tuesday.

“It is not an easy job to head one agency and it is that much more daunting to head two agencies simultaneously, especially when one of them comes with tremendous challenges like the magnitude of those that accompany the post of OIC-BuCor Director,” she further stated.

Co was appointed OIC of BuCor on Aug. 22 after Director Gaudencio Pangilinan took an indefinite leave of absence following the abduction of convicted murderer Rolito Go.

In a one page Department Order issued Tuesday, Ragos will oversee the daily operation of the BuCor. However, excluded in his duty are policy making decisions, approval of long-term contracts and imposing sanctions to erring employees.