Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has summoned Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag on Monday to find out the situation at the BuCor and the alleged death of inmates.
The DOJ said in a statement “the meeting centered on the COVID-19 situation at the BuCor, as well as the reported deaths of nine Persons Deprived of Liberty who were convicted of offenses involving illegal drugs.”
“Jaybee Sebastian, a high-profile inmate set to testify in the drug case against Sen. Leila De Lima, was one of them,” it added.
The statement said Bantag disclosed that 21 PDLs who contracted the disease have died since March.
Bantag maintained that the health situation inside the institution remains controlled. “To date, he said there are only five PDLs in isolation at Site Harry.”
To put an end on the speculations brought about by the death of Sebastian and other inmates, the NBI will be tapped to conduct to probe the matter.
Meanwhile, Malacañang on Monday said it will just leave the investigation to the DOJ and will assure that penal farms abide by the protocols against COVID-19. – Report from Kenneth Paciente
