Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Monday called on the National Bureau of Investigation to look into the killing of a prison official who has handled the early release orders for inmates, including the convicted rapist and murder Antonio Sanchez.
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At a joint probe by the Senate Blue Ribbon and justice committees, Sotto suggested to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra that the NBI investigate the motive behind the death of Ruperto Traya Jr., Bureau of Corrections chief administrative officer 3.
Sotto noted that Traya was shot dead in Barangay Poblacion in Muntinlupa City by an unidentified gunman seven days after the news broke out about Sanchez’s impending release.
Sotto said Traya was working closely with the documents section, the department involved in the release orders inmates who were qualified for release based on their Good Conduct Time Allowance.
Under a 2013 law, the GCTA has been used to release almost 2,000 inmates convicted of heinous crimes such as murder and rape.
Sotto said the release orders originated from the office of the slain BuCor official.
NBI director Dante Gierran told the Blue Ribbon Committee they are now investigating the killing.
“We have two or three angles about this, something we cannot divulge at the moment,” Gierran said.
Public outrage stopped Sanchez’s release and focused on flaws in the 2013 GCTA law.
President Rodrigo Duterte also ordered a stop to Sanchez’s release, questioning the “good conduct” of an inmate who was found charged with drug offenses while he was in prison.
