De Lima defends BuCor OIC in graft raps

MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima defended yesterday Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos from graft charges lodged by a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) contractor running its biometrics clearance system.

De Lima said she suspects there was an ulterior motive in the filing of the  complaint against Ragos, NBI’s deputy director for comptrollership, by the Realtime Data Management Services Inc. (RDMSI) before the Office of the Ombudsman.

She cited the ongoing search for the next BuCor director who will take the place of Gaudencio Pangilinan Jr., who tendered his resignation last week after going on indefinite leave since the abduction of convicted murderer Rolito Go from the New Bilibid Prison last August.

“Perhaps they think that Ragos is interested to be Pangilinan’s successor, so they’re now trying to discredit him. What they don’t know is I only asked him to serve as officer-in-charge,” she told reporters.

De Lima issued the statement after RDMSI accused Ragos of deliberately withholding payment of at least P14 million (net of withholding taxes) for the services rendered by the firm to the NBI from July to September this year.

The contractor, which signed a contract with the NBI in December 2011, charged Ragos with violating Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), RA 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards) and RA 9485 (Anti-Red Tape Act) last Dec. 13.