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Inmate corroborates wife's ‘GCTA for sale’ racket allegation
By AMITA LEGASPI,GMA NewsThe inmate who claimed to be a victim of the “GCTA for sale” racket at the New Bilibid Prison appeared before the Senate on Monday to corroborate allegations that Bureau of Corrections officials were behind the scheme.
During the resumption of the Senate's hearing, Godfrey Gamboa said he and his wife, Yolanda Camilon, were allegedly dealing with Ramoncito Roque, BuCor Documents and Record Section chief, and Corrections Senior Inspector Maria Belinda Bansil.
Gamboa said he was a living-out inmate at the minimum security compound of the NBP since 2018 as he has already served the minimum of his four-year sentence.
He said he was supposed to apply for parole but a staffer at the Bureau of Pardons and Parole allegedly advised that he just complete serving his sentence.
Gamboa then spoke with Bansil, whom he got to know as she headed the Kaagapay program which handles inmates who are due for release, who said that Gamboa's name was included in the list of inmates to be released November last year.
“Mabuti ‘yung iba lumaya na, tayo nakalista pa lang. Sabi ko sa asawa ko marami na palang lalabas, paano kaya itong mga lumalabas,” Gamboa recounted.
From his years inside the NBP, he had heard that inmates shelled out money in exchange for their release. “End of January or early February ‘yung asawa ko nagsabi na may nagpa-process na ng papel ko. Sabi ko maganda kung ganun. Magkano daw? Sabi niya P50,000,” he said.
So his wife sold one of their properties and borrowed money for their initial payment, after which Gamboa was told that he could be released in March.
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“Hanggang dumating sa punto na ilalabas ako sa March. Hindi naman ako lumabas. Galit na galit ako nun. Nakita natin si (former BuCor Director General Nicanor) Faeldon na lumabas sa opisina nina Roque. Sabi ko sa asawa ko kausapin niya si general, isumbong mo na ito kay general. Tumayo si Sir Roque sa harap kaya hindi namin nakausap si General Faeldon,” he said.
He said his wife attempted to get their money back because Roque and Bansil failed to deliver their promise that he would be released in March.
He also promised to himself that he would testify on the corruption inside the NBP once he was released in November, upon completion of his sentence.
“Hindi magkapagsalita ‘yung mga tao (dun sa Bilibid) dahil hawak nila ang buhay namin, ikukulong kami o paparusahan. Sabi ko na kapag nakalaya ako sasabihin ko sa Senado ang mga katarantaduhan doon,” Gamboa said apologetically.
Because there was a danger that Gamboa could face retribution once he returns to the NBP, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra suggested that the Senate could recommend that Gamboa be taken in the Witness Protection Program since he was a legislative witness.
For the meantime, the Senate could take the inmate under its custody.
Senators Panfilo Lacson and Gordon said Gamboa had nothing to gain from his testimony as he was already due for release in November.
On Thursday, Gamboa’s wife Camilon narrated her dealings with the BuCor officials for the release of his husband. — DVM, GMA News