Equal treatment of prisoners will be the top priority of newly installed Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Ricardo Rainier Cruz.
“Number one priority ko ’yun sa pag-upo ko. Kailangan magkaroon ng equal treatment sa prisoners,” he said on Thursday, referring to the reported problem of VIP treatment among inmates.
Cruz, a former military general, was appointed by President Benigno Aquino III as the new BuCor chief.
He replaced Franklin Bucayu, who earlier asked Aquino to remove him from his post due to health issues and supposed death threats.
Cruz, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1980, was the commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command before he retired in September. His area of responsibility then was a hotbed of communist rebels.
He considered his new assignment one of his “most challenging jobs” and even more challenging than his military career.
“One year lang ako [as BuCor chief] … Hindi ko mapapangako pero I will try my best. Best effort. Makikita niyo naman pag-upo ko kaagad. ’Yun ang gagawin ko, equal treatment,” Cruz said.