Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan(Courtesy of IPPF-PIO Facebook) MANILA - Suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag was slapped Monday with plunder, malversation, falsification and graft charges related to a PHP900-million project. Acting BuCor director general, Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr., filed the multiple suits before the Department of Justice against Bantag, technical superintendent Arnold Jacinto Guzman, inspectors Ric Rocacurba and Solomon Areniego, and technical officers Jor-el de Jesus, Angelo Castillo and Alexis Catindig. The project involved the construction in three prison facilities Davao Prison and Penal Farm, Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, and Leyte Regional Prison with an estimated cost of PHP300 million each. The contract supposedly violated Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Act when it created a separate BuCor Bidding and Award Committee led by a non-permanent BuCor emplo
Suspended Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag is facing charges of plunder, graft, malversation of public funds, grave misconduct and dishonesty over the alleged anomalous bidding for the construction of prison facilities in Davao, Palawan and Leyte amounting to about P1 billion.