Senate NBP probe to center on how prisoner escaped
THE Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights will now focus its investigation on how the earlier reported missing person deprived of liberty (PDL) was actually able to escape the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa City, panel chair Sen. Francis N. Tolentino said on Friday.
Tolentino made the remarks after authorities in Rizal arrested 25-year-old Michael Cataroja, a Blibid inmate reported missing by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) in July.
“Matutuon ngayon ang hearing ng Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights kung paano nakatakas si PDL Michael Cataroja at kung ano ang naging kapabayaan ng BuCor sa hearing sa Martes, Agosto 22,” said Tolentino.
Cataroja, who is serving 12 to 20-year prison term, was first reported missing inside the Maximum Security Compound on July 15 before he was arrested on Thursday, August 17.
Tolentino’s panel earlier last week initiated a motu proprio inquiry following the reported alleged discovery of a mass grave besides a septic tank inside the national penitentiary after some ‘bone fragments’ were unearthed in the said location.
The Senate inquiry led by Tolentino has also unraveled a supposed scheme on how drug syndicates were able to smuggle and repack various illegal drug shipments inside the NBP compound.
