SUSPENDED Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag has challenged his accusers to prove his “guilt” in charges linking him to the Percy Lapid slay and other cases such as plunder and hurting inmates.

“Patunayan nila. Mga gawa-gawa at imbento lang mga akusasyon nila laban sa akin,” Bantag said.

Bantag was accused of masterminding the murder of broadcaster Percy Lapid last October 3 in Las Piñas City.

Also, two gang leaders claimed that Bantag, who was “extremely drunk” during that time, stabbed them in his office last February 1.

The next day, they were again summoned to Bantag’s office, and a certain “Zulueta” gave them P50,000 each to remain “silent.”

For his part, BuCor Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Gregorio Catapang Jr. said that the bureau is now readying plunder charges against Bantag over unfinished prison projects worth P300 million and the controversial Bilibid diggings where an unauthorized joint venture agreement (JVA) was entered into with a private firm.

This developed, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has concluded that the excavation work inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City during the time of Bantag was illegal.

This was revealed by Catapang during an interview with Teleradyo’s “Kabayan” program.

According to Catapang, BuCor will now seek the guidance of the Department of Justice (DOJ) over the specific charges to be filed against Bantag concerning the excavation.

Catapang, a former Armed Forces chief of staff, recently disclosed that they found a hole and tunnel near the director’s office in NBP.

According to Catapang, the hole was 200 meters wide and 30 meters deep.

Bantag firmly denied that the digging inside the NBP was meant to become a “tunnel for escape.”

He disclosed that the excavation was to build a deep swimming pool to train BuCor personnel in scuba diving.