Whistle-blower Kabungsuan Makilala asked for state protection during a meeting on Friday with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, showing her documents supposedly proving his claim that corruption and other irregularities were continuing at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
This was disclosed to reporters by anticorruption crusader Sandra Cam, who accompanied Makilala to the hourlong meeting at the justice department. Cam said De Lima had agreed to Makilala鈥檚 request.
De Lima could not be reached for comment on the report.
The justice secretary met with Makilala, who is a Bureau of Corrections employee and former assistant head of the BuCor鈥檚 bids and awards committee, a day after the Inquirer published an interview with him in which he said prominent convicts were continuing to receive special treatment from penitentiary officials and that there was corruption, prostitution and other irregularities at the prison.
Makilala鈥檚 allegations were emphatically denied by BuCor Director Gaudencio Pangilinan, who also talked with De Lima on Friday.
Malaca帽ang informed
鈥淗e (Makilala) asked the secretary to be included in the government鈥檚 Witness Protection Program because he is afraid for his life and the security of his family,鈥� Cam said. 鈥淭he secretary said he would be enrolled in the program. She even called in WPP officials to brief him about his application.鈥�
President Aquino鈥檚 deputy spokesperson, Undersecretary Abigail Valte, said Malaca帽ang was coordinating with De Lima on the issue.
鈥淪ecretary De Lima advised us that she already met with Director Pangilinan on this matter. A verbal explanation was given,鈥� Valte said at a news briefing.
Valte said De Lima asked Pangilinan to put his explanation in writing. 鈥淟et us just wait for the updates but as of the moment, Secretary De Lima has taken steps regarding the matter,鈥� Valte said.
Earlier Friday, De Lima told reporters he would be meeting with Makilala to 鈥渁ssess the credibility or plausibility鈥� of his allegations so she could take appropriate action, 鈥渟uch as directing an investigation.鈥�
Makilala, who was also accompanied by lawyer Alan Paguia at the meeting with De Lima, was expected to return to the justice department on Monday with his sworn statement.
鈥淭he Secretary promised to conduct a full-blown investigation after he submits his affidavit,鈥� Cam said.
Makilala also asked De Lima鈥檚 help in extending his leave of absence from the Davao Prison and Penal Farm, where he is now assigned.
鈥淗e鈥檚 concerned about his safety there. He wants to be with his family in General Santos City. He鈥檚 also concerned about their security,鈥� Cam said.
Cam said De Lima was 鈥渟hocked鈥� and 鈥渄ismayed鈥� when Makilala showed her his documents as 鈥減roof鈥� of his allegations.
Among the documents were a catering contract worth P16 million approved this month which allegedly did not go through De Lima, and the BuCor鈥檚 P32-million purchase of rice from a private seller instead of from the National Food Authority, as required under the law.
Meeting with BuCor chief
De Lima also separately talked with Pangilinan at the DOJ. Details of that meeting have not been disclosed as of press time.
Asked to comment on Makilala鈥檚 allegations before their meeting on Friday, De Lima said: 鈥淪ome of the things he talked about are old problems. I thought all of those are already gone. They were tackled when a fact-finding investigation was conducted in the case of former Director [and Pangilinan鈥檚 predecessor Ernesto] Diokno.鈥�
鈥淸The new allegations are] so debilitating, on top of being frustrating, tiring and heavy to the heart,鈥� De Lima said.
De Lima said she was 鈥渁larmed鈥� by Makilala鈥檚 claims that irregularities were continuing at the state penitentiary.
鈥淭his information is alarming if true. I鈥檓 not saying what is being disclosed is true, that鈥檚 why I will have these investigated. But I need to talk to him (Makilala) first because he reportedly has evidence, documents,鈥� she added.
Regarding Pangilinan鈥檚 claims that Makilala could just be getting back at the director for his transfer to the Davao penal colony, De Lima said:
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 what Director Pangilinan is saying, that he (Makilala) has an axe to grind, that he (Makilala) used to operate a canteen outside BuCor but Pangilinan ordered it removed because he was renovating the facility,鈥� De Lima said. 鈥淲hatever that is, those allegations, being very serious, must be investigated.鈥�
Makilala, however, has said he was not sour-graping but that the removal of his canteen was illegal.
Claim, counterclaim
In the Inquirer article, Makilala claimed, among others, that road rage killer Rolito Go and other rich inmates continue to enjoy special treatment and that prison irregularities worsened when Pangilinan took over as BuCor director last year.
Makilala also accused Pangilinan of implementing infrastructure projects worth more than P50 million in the NBP without the required public bidding.
Pangilinan laughed off Makilala鈥檚 allegations, saying he expected the latter to make up stories against him after he ordered his reassignment to the Davao penal colony on Jan. 1.
Pangilinan also claimed Makilala was involved in an anomalous bidding during the previous BuCor administration. With a report from Norman Bordadora