SUSPENDED Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag finally broke his silence on Tuesday and lamented his relief, and the subsequent disarming of his service firearm including that of his men.

Interviewed over radio station DZRH, Bantag said: ” Yun nga ang nakaka-ano dahil alam naman nila ang ginawa namin sa BuCor, alam naman nila yung sakripisyo ng kasamahan ko. So talagang under threat kami pero itong si General Catapang (former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gregorio Catapang Jr.), pinatanggalan kaming lahat ng mga baril at mga sasakyan. Hindi siya ano eh, hindi siya nag hintay.”

Bantag also expressed belief that with the way things are unfolding, he won’t be returning to BuCor’s helm anytime soon.

“Kaya sabi ko hindi ito suspension nung binigay sa akin kundi talagang tuluyan akong sinibak ng walang due process. Alam ko hindi na ako makakabalik dahil nga itong mga kasamahan niya dito, yung mga dating BuCor na suspended dahil sa anomalya, sa mga kalokohan, yun ang gusto niyang ibalik daw dahil sila yung totoong nag tratrabaho, ” Bantag said.

Bantag was preventively suspended over the mystery-shrouded death of the middleman in the sensational murder of broadcaster Percy Lapid last October 3.

It can be recalled that self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial upon his surrender claimed that the order to assassinate Lapid came inside the walls of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa.

According to him, six of them were involved in the hit and were paid a total of P550,000.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Hector Lawas