Guard who accused ex-BuCor chief of graft killed

DAVAO CITY – A still unidentified suspect on Saturday shot and killed a Bureau of Corrections (Bucor) jailguard, who accused former Bucor chief Gaudencio Pangilinan of graft, in Carmen, Davao del Norte.

In a report, the Carmen police said Kabungsuan Makilala, who had since been assigned at the Davao Penal Colony in Dujali, Davao del Norte, was on a Bachelor bus for Davao City when shot by the lone gunman, who was also on the bus, as the vehicle was passing by Barangay (village) Alejo in Carmen around 9 a.m.

The suspect immediately fled but a local policeman, identified as PO3 Pablo F. Paulo, who was in his house about 15 meters away from the scene of the incident, responded and traded shots with the suspect, and another man, who later came in on a motorbike. The suspects hastily fled.

Bullets from the suspects hit two other civilians. Paulo himself was wounded in the brief firefight.

Makilala, who was then critically wounded, was rushed to the Carmen District Hospital but later died.

In 2011, Makilala – also former assistant head of Bucor’s bids and awards committee – sought protection after he accused Pangilanan of irregularity over office funds, provision of special treatment to prominent prisoners, and other wrongdoings at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), then under Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

READ: Ex-BuCor chief charged with graft

He said Pangilinan approved P50-million worth of projects without bidding.

Pangilinan had denied the charges and said Makilala had an ax to grind against him after he shut down the latter’s canteen outside the NBP.