Drunk Bantag allegedly stabbed 2 PDLs in Bilibid

Two PDL or persons deprived of liberty, revealed that the suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag allegedly stabbed them. The officer was said to be drunk when the incident occurred after drinking with other inmates inside the prison.

In Oscar Oida’s report on GMA News “24 Oras” this Monday, the BuCor presented to journalists the two PDL gang leaders, Roland Usman and Jonathan Cañete.

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It is said that Usman was stabbed in the hand, while Cañete’s wound was in the thigh, which now has stitches.

According to BuCor officer-in-charge Gregorio Catapang Jr, the two have wanted to talk for a long time, and they talked to him when they were ready to give a statement to the media.

“Ngayon kinausap namin [kung] willing na ba kayo na humarap sa media. Sabi nila, ‘Sir, hindi kami makatulog dahil araw-araw nga nakikita mo ‘yung sugat mo, ganyan, wala naman hustiya,” said Catapang.

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Accompanied by their lawyer, Usman and Cañete said Bantag summoned them to his office on February 1, along with other gang commanders in the NBP.

When they entered the office, Bantag was said to be drunk, and the other two gang commanders were drinking.

While holding a knife, Bantag allegedly approached them one by one.

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Drunk Bantag allegedly stabbed 2 PDLs in Bilibid

“Noong una pinupunit ‘yung damit ko gamit ng ‘kris,’ ‘yung mahaba na lagi niyang bitbit. Tapos dito sa dibdib binaon niya kaunti, hindi ko na nakayanan. Ang ginawa ko lang hinawakan ko ang patalim, tinapik ko. Sa galit niya, dito niya sinaksak sa hita ko,” said Cañete.

Usman said that Bantag suddenly grabbed his hand and stabbed it with the knife.

The next day, a Zulueta allegedly gave them money in exchange for keeping quiet about what happened to them.

According to Cañete, he could do nothing without accepting the money because of the fear that something bad would happen to him.

“Kapag hindi ninyo tanggapin ito, mas lalo kayong  mamomroblema rito. Parang may kasama pang takutin pa kami. Sabi ko, sir maniwala po kayo sa amin, wala pong lalabas, kasi iniisip namin pamilya namin, palaya na rin ako. Kaya tiniis ko na lang, ‘yung tinaggap ko ang P50,000, tumutulo ang luha ko,” said Cañete.

It is unclear who they are referring to as Zulueta, but Bantag has an officer in the BuCor, Jail Officer Ricardo Zulueta.

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