Bantag insists Bilibid excavation was for scuba diving pool

Suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag maintained the tunnel discovered inside the New Bilibid Prison complex was for a scuba diving pool.

According to Marisol Abdurahman's report on "24 Oras," Bantag denied that he told Justice Secretary Remulla that the digging was for treasure hunting.

“Wala naman akong matandaang ganoon, basta nga sabi ko naman sa inyong lahat na iyon ay scuba deep pool,” he said.

Earlier, Remulla said he wanted to find out where the 1.2 million cubic meters of soil

BuCor officer-in-charge Gregorio Pio Punzalan Catapang Jr. said the soil was hauled and brought to Caloocan.

To this, Bantag said, “Kalokohan na ‘yun, napakasinungaling din niya."

He also responded to Remulla's statement that the agreement between BuCor and the Agua-Tierra Oro Mina (ATOM) development is illegal, saying he has the authority to enter into deals without communicating them to the Justice Secretary.

“Kung baga respeto na lang sa DOJ secretary na may JVA (joint venture agreement) ganito kami sir, hinarangan naman nila. Sabi nila hindi pupwede. Bakit hindi pupwede?” he said.

The DOJ is set to start the preliminary investigation on Wednesday on the two murder complaints field against the suspended BuCor chief over the deaths of broadcaster Percy Lapid and alleged middleman, Jun Villamor, a person deprived of liberty.—Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News