THE missing inmate at the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City has resurfaced with a story of his great escape fit for an action movie.
The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights chaired by Sen. Francis Tolentino will look into possible security lapses at the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) that enabled prisoner Michael Cataroja to slip through the maximum security compound and was reported missing since last July 15.
Cataroja’s disappearance initially raised suspicions that he was killed and the corpse thrown into a septic tank at the NBP compound, prompting the Tolentino panel to initiate an inquiry on alleged mysterious serial killings at the penitentiary.
Police arrested the 25-year-old Cataroja in Barangay Isidro, Angono, Rizal last Thursday.
Tolentino said they want to establish if there is any, the negligence of Bucor.
Cataroja, who was serving a prison term from 12 to 20 years for violations of Presidential Decree No. 612 or the Anti-Fencing Act Law, told the police that he casually walked out of the NBP by posing—and dressing—as a visitor at the facility.
Angono police chief Maj. Lauro Leyva Moratillo quoted Cataroja as saying he timed his escape during the visit of outsiders to the maximum security prison.
“Casual lang daw siyang lumabas doon sa maxium security. Sumabay siya sa dalaw po. Kasi po araw daw ng dalaw,” Moratillo said in a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview.
Cataroja claimed he was also able to copy the mark stamped on visitors with just a ballpen.
“Ang ginamit niya ay ballpen na luma. Pinag aralan niya, in short, ‘yung kilos, ‘yung galaw tapos ang sabi niya naghanap siya ng taong kasing sukat niya, kasing body build niya so that ‘yung pangalan gumawa na lang siya,” Lt. Gen Rhoderick Armamento, South Luzon police commander, said in a separate interview.
After his escape, Cataroja said he walked all the way from the NBP to Cainta, Rizal.
However, Moratillo doubted Cataroja’s tale, citing the heavy security at the NBP. “Hindi naman kami naniniwala dahil alam natin maximum security ‘yun. Napakahigpit ng security, marami siyang gate na lalagpasan,” he said.
The Senate inquiry by Tolentino has also unraveled a supposed scheme on how drug syndicates were able to smuggle and repack various illegal drug shipments inside the NBP compound.
Police said they arrested Cataroja less than 2 weeks after receiving a letter of coordination from the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).
They said Cataroja was collared while visiing his parents who lived in a nearby barangay.
An informant reportedly told the police about Cataroja’s whereabouts on the day of the arrest.
“Noong actual operation namin naabutan namin siyang kumakain so wala na siyang pagkakataon makatakbo pa then noong huli na namin siya hindi
na siya nag-resist. Inamin niya na siya talaga si Michael Cataroja hanggang sa istasyon wala na siyang resistance,” Moratillo said.
Lawyer Ferdinand Balduman, director for the BuCor directorate for intelligence and investigation, said they surmised that Cataroja was still alive after talking to his mother who appeared unperturbed by news about her son’s purported death.
“Nagkaroon kami ng idea na nakatakas siya after or during nakausap natin yung nanay niya because we observed na as I said wala siyang semblance or signs nga natatakot siya na galit siya dahil nakikita na news na yun eh na patay na yung anak niya which normally human experience di ba natin yung anak mo is pinatay, namatay,” Balduman said.
“Noong una kasi hindi talaga natin tinanggal yung possibility na pinatay siya inilibing siya kasi wala tayong nakikita na nadiskubre
kung patay na naitapon, and then with help of that use of Coast Guard sniffing dog kaya ayun nag-i-initiate tayo ng paghuhukay doon sa mga
septic tank believed to baka sakali na inilibing siya doon.”
Cataroja, who was also facing another criminal complaint for carjacking, would like suffer longer jail terms for his escape attempt.
“We will file charges doon sa subject in violations of Art 157 yung evasion of service of sentence. After ma i-file namin, i-inquest. Pag
nasentensyahan siya doon additional years of service doon kasi tumakas siya sa authorities,” Armamento said.
Meanwhile, BuCor chief Gregorio Catapang Jr. said he was planning to create a community where persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) will be allowed to live with their families while serving their sentences.
According to Catapang, PDLs who only have three to five years left in their sentence will be allowed to stay at Barrio Libertad, which BuCor
intends to establish at the foot of a mountain in Barangay Iwahig in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
Catapang said an initial 20 to 30 PDLs have already been selected.
“Kaya may Barrio Libertad. Together with their families, they will be staying at the foot of the mountain, they will reforest it, or they
will — magtanim sila ng bamboo, for carbon trading, magtanim sila ng coconut,” Catapang said in an interview at the Iwahig Prison and Penal
Farm.
Catapang described the move as a “game changer” and could serve as a “model for the whole world.”
“Imagine, kasama mo na agad, where in the world meron kang nakitang nakakulong kasama pamilya. It will really be a game changer,” he said.
Catapang said the BuCor has identified the area where the barrio will be established. He expressed also hope that this will be completed before
the end of the year.
Catapang also said they are eyeing a village for PDLs who have fully served their sentence, saying he aims to keep employing them.
“Papagawa natin silang housing project. For those who are lalaya and want to make a new life. Kasi ang hirap na nila ibalik sa society.
Minamarkahan kaagad sila,” he said.
“Pero kung nandito na sila, ayun na ‘yung trabaho nila, nag tatanim, nag aalaga ng hayop, whatever, nag aano ng factory pag laya nila may
bahay sila outside the parang controlled area, may village na sila, no, and they can still work,” he added.