De Lima orders probe into death of drug convict

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Justice Secretary Leila De Lima on Wednesday ordered an investigation into the death of a drug convict at the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro last June 14.

Ronald Ho, who was transferred from the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm, was shot to death last February 14.

De Lima told BuCor Director Franklin Bucayu to investigate not just Ho’s death but also why Ho was outside the penal facility when he was killed.

Ho was known to have continued conducting illegal operations even while in prison. Initial reports reaching the Department of Justice said that Ho continued receiving special treatment and has been conducting operations despite his transfer from BuCor to Sablayan.

Bucayu earlier ordered the preventive suspension of Superintendent Francisco Abulanes, officer-in-charge of the Sablayan Penal Facility, and its central prison compound head Edison Ablao pending a thorough probe into the incident.