A warranted investigation

Bureau of Corrections Director General Gerald Bantag lashed out at those doubting the deaths of high-profile inmates like convicted drug lord Jaybee Sebastian who testified against Sen. Leila De Lima. He even challenged anyone to show a living prisoner to prove that they had been allowed to escape. He goes on demanding that people in government should be trusted. He said all this with profanity-laden gusto. No surprises there. Who appointed him in the first place?

See now this is the reaction of an arrogant official who probably believes he has the president's back. Instead of just willingly accepting whatever investigation comes out of this to dispel suspicion, he goes into a profanity-laden tirade. Note that this is the New Bilibid Prisons we are talking about, which has its terrible history of corruption. These include allowing prisoners to temporarily leave the prison, prisoners who are allowed to enjoy creature comforts within their cells that look even better than most homes, and the recent Good Conduct Time Allowance controversy under Nicanor Faeldon which has yet to be acted on. Bantag cannot just say that people should trust them. They should be the ones proving they can be trusted. And yet, what did he do?

He did not release the names of the dead despite the clear processes regarding the death of prisoners like notifying relevant agencies, taking pictures, performing autopsies, and informing relatives. How hard can that be? Instead, he immediately had the bodies cremated supposedly according to protocol governing those who died of COVID-19 and even ordered the funeral homes to refrain from opening the body bags of the deceased. He even cites the Data Privacy Act in not disclosing the names of the deceased which was immediately debunked by the privacy commissioner. How does one now determine if those who have supposedly perished are indeed those declared by the NBP when they have already been turned to ash? Fingerprints are out of the question. Are there witnesses to the deaths like relatives who can attest to the claims of the NBP?

Senators are ready to thoroughly investigate the issue. "Too many questions", according to Senate President Tito Sotto. "All the hallmarks of a cover-up", according to Sen. Richard Gordon. Even groups such as Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines have also called for proof that no anomalies hound the deaths of these prisoners particularly Jaybee Sebastian. The BuCor officials should just undergo a thorough investigation if they want to clear the air. Not everything can be achieved by going ballistic and swearing at everyone.