New Bilibid Prison (File photo)
MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) will assist the Office of the Ombudsman in investigating a joint venture agreement allegedly entered into by suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag with a private corporation to develop areas in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.
DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said in an ambush interview on Friday it was a “midnight deal” that was made to appear like a government project.
He said Bantag did not seek approval from concerned government agencies during the previous administration.
"The Ombudsman will have to be informed of all these developments. It is our duty to inform the Ombudsman because apparently, some of it was not within legal bounds. There were laws which were probably violated there," Remulla said.
“Motu propio (by themselves) they (Ombudsman) can actually enter into an investigation. We will cooperate. Whatever documents that are here,” Remulla added.
The DOJ chief clarified no project was submitted by Bantag to the DOJ for scrutiny.
“It was done as an independent republic of BuCor dealing with the private sector. Hindi niya sinama ang DOJ noon at saka hindi niya sinama ang Office of the President. Hindi niya sinama ang Department of Finance (He did not inform the DOJ and he did not include the Office of the President and the Department of Finance),” Remulla said.
He said Bantag has no authority to dispose of the property even under Republic Act 10575 or the BuCor Act of 2013.
“It does not give plenary powers (to dispose of property). Even the SOJ (Secretary of Justice) has no power over that,” Remulla said, adding that the NBP is a patrimonial property of the state, owned by the public and cannot be disposed of by just one individual.
Remulla recalled that in his early meetings with Bantag, the latter said there is a large excavation in the NBP grounds to look for the so-called buried treasure of Tomoyuki Yamashita, the World War II Japanese military officer who reportedly amassed and hid gold during their occupation of the Philippines between 1942 to 1945.
“I told him to stop that. He opened up to me about it and I told him huwag mo na gawin ‘yan (don’t do that). You are not there to check for treasure. You are there to run the prison,” Remulla remembered telling Bantag.
However, in interviews, Bantag claimed the excavation was to build the country’s deepest pool for scuba diving.
Remulla said they will investigate if government resources were used for the excavation and where the filling materials ended up.
“Those are a lot of materials,” he said.
Also discovered inside the NBP compound was a menagerie, including horses and snakes.
Bantag claimed the horses were meant for patrolling sessions and the snakes for vermin control.
"Res ipsa loquitur. The thing speaks for itself," Remulla said. (PNA)
