Relieved Bilibid official denies involvement in alleged NBP construction business

Relieved New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Superintendent Angelina "Angie" Bautista on Tuesday denied involvement with the alleged construction business inside the correctional facility.

During the hearing of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights at NBP, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa questioned Bautista about a text he received on the alleged sale of construction materials inside the NBP at a price five times higher than the original.

“‘Yun pong construction materials sir, nire-request po nila 'yan sa camp commander. Tapos po ire-recommend po ni camp commander sa akin for approval,” Bautista said.

(They request the construction materials from the camp commander. Then the camp commander recommends this to me for approval.)

“Ngayon po, being the NBP superintendent, hands on po kasi ako sa loob. Nakita ko po maraming matatandang namamatay dahil po siksikan na sila, nababasa po sila ng ulan. So kailangan naming i-approve ‘yung construction materials na supposed to be po talaga kami po sa BuCor ang mag pro-provide,” she added.

(Now, being the NBP superintendent, I am hands-on inside. I saw that there were many senior citizens who were dying because they lack space, they get wet when it rains. So I need to approve the construction materials even if BuCor should have been providing these.)

When Dela Rosa pressed her on the alleged involvement, Bautista said she only approved the request and was not involved in supplying the construction materials.

Unqualified

Bautista also denied that she is not eligible for civil service.

This came after Senator Francis Tolentino cited a supposed letter from former Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra stating that she cannot be a consultant or a contractual as she is a non-career official and cannot be designated to a position exercising jurisdiction over regular and career employees.

When asked if this was true, Bautista said she did not receive such a letter.

“Kasi po nag-perform po ako ng duty ko from September ng 2019 hanggang March 2020. May appointment po ako from Civil Service. Hindi ko po alam kung saan galing 'yan kasi wala po akong nare-receive na ganyan,” she said.

[I performed my duty from September 2019 to March 2020. I have an appointment from the Civil Service. I don’t know where that letter came from because I haven’t received any.]

Bautista further said she resigned under former BuCor chief Gerald Bantag in May 2020.

When sought for comment, Guevarra said he sent a letter to Bantag on November 04, 2019 negating Bautista’s designation as officer-in-charge of the Correctional Institution for Women.

He said this was on the ground that under existing CSC rules and regulations on appointments, designation of personnel applies only to employees holding permanent appointments to career positions.

“Angelina Lumba Bautista was not such an employee at the time of her proposed designation, as she had optionally retired prior thereto,” Guevarra said.

He clarified that his letter was sent only to Bantag and not Bautista.

The Senate is conducting an investigation on missing inmate Michael Cataroja. BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. earlier said he believes Cataroja has already escaped. —KG/RSJ, GMA Integrated News