DOJ on CHR's call for transparency: We are looking into prison situation too
MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said it is “not fair” to criticize his department for a supposed lack of transparency on the conditions in Philippine prisons.
The Commission on Human Rights on Sunday lamented that several of their correspondences on Persons Deprived of Liberty infected by, and who died due to, the coronavirus to the DOJ that went unanswered for more than two weeks.
“We call out the [Bureau of Corrections] and the DOJ for their lack of transparency and [their] non-cooperation,” CHR said in a statement.
But Guevarra explained that the information that the commission is seeking is available only from the primary source—in this case, BuCor. “The DOJ does not keep the official files of the BuCor nor the personal records of the PDLs,” he said.
Guevarra added: “The DOJ has been trying to uncover strange things happening at the BuCor. That’s why it has ordered the [National Bureau of Investigation] to step in. It is not fair to say that the department has not been transparent about the conditions at the BuCor.”
The corrections bureau is an attached agency of the DOJ, but the department merely exercises supervision and not control over the bureau.
Justice Undersecretary Deo Marco meanwhile said he already sent the documents he sourced from BuCor to the CHR last week.
Data from BuCor last week showed that 21 PDLs died due to COVID-19. Of these 18 are from the New Bilibid Prison and three from the Correctional Institution for Women.
Deaths of high-profile inmates
BuCor is currently in hot water after nine high-profile inmates, including Jaybee Sebastian who was a witness in the drug case against Sen. Leila De Lima, died due to COVID-19. But doubts swirled around the circumstances of their deaths, including Sebastian’s. His remains were cremated immediately in compliance with the bureau’s protocols on COVID-19 deaths.
The bureau also confirmed that convicted drug lord Amin Imam Boratong, operator of the notorious “shabu tiangge” in Pasig City, was among COVID-10 fatalities.
BuCor spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag was quoted in a STAR report as saying that they are increasing their security amid threats to BuCor personnel over the deaths. Sebastian’s wife allegedly threatened that she vowed “revenge” over Jaybee’s death.
“There are a lot of threats to our personnel. Of course, our personnel are only ordinary government workers. Who would not be scared if they are threatened?” Chaclag said in Filipino.
Guevarra said that while he does not have personal knowledge on the threats, he explained that BuCor personnel are “accustomed” to threats, and have
“adapted and know what precautions to take.”
The DOJ chief last week tapped the NBI to conduct an independent probe into the bureau and the deaths of the high-profile inmates.
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