DoJ’s Baraan brands Sandra Cam charges as lies

Sandra Cam. INQUIRER.net’s FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—A senior justice official branded as lies the allegation of whistle-blower Sandra Cam that he has been the protector of illegal activities specifically drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison.

In a phone interview, Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan said the allegations and the report [posted on INQUIRER.net  Tuesday] is unfair.

Baraan said the report- which was based on Cam’s interview on Radyo Inquirer 990AM – naming him protector of illegal activities including drug trade “has destroyed my reputation and affected my family.”

“Imagine what my family has been through when this item came out,” he said.

Whistle blower Sandra Cam, over Radyo Inquirer 990 accused Baraan of blocking the release of the result of investigation involving on-leave prison chief Gaudencio Pangilinan.

The Department of Justice conducted an investigation into the anomalies in NBP after whistle-blower Kabungsuan Makilala, a former employee of the Bureau of Corrections accused Pangilinan of violating Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Act for allegedly approving a P16 million catering service contract without signature of Justice Secretary Leila De Lima. Also included in his complaint is the P1.4 million renovation contract without public bidding and the cutting of historical trees without permission from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Cam said her witness, Makilala mentioned Baraan as “protector.”

“She was accusing me of something based on what her witness [Makilala] has said. [But] her witness never mentioned my name when he testified before the DoJ investigation,” Baraan said.

Baraan said he checked with panel of investigator head Muntinlupa Prosecutor Edward Togonon if his name was mentioned by Makilala but Togonon said no.

He added that he is not sitting on the result of investigation conducted against Pangilinan. Baraan said it has been submitted to Malacañang but it has been superseded by events especially after Makilala directly filed a complaint against Pangilinan at the Office of the Ombudsman.

On allegations of procurement anomalies, Baraan said that in the bidding process, the DoJ has no hand at the BuCor.

“The DoJ enters the picture only after the contracts are bidded out and awarded to the winning bidder. The contract is submitted to the DoJ and it is submitted to the technical office,” Baraan said.

He said the technical office reviews the contract then comes out with a recommendation which passes to him and finally to De Lima.