Ex-BuCor exec’s killing might be due to GCTA issue: Gordon

Gordon, who led the Senate probe into the supposed anomalies in the BuCor, said one probable reason why Santos was killed is to prevent him from becoming state witness. (File Photo: Dick Gordon/Facebook)

MANILA — Senator Richard Gordon said Friday the motives for the killing of Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) legal services chief Fredric Santos are probably related to the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) controversy.

Gordon, who led the Senate probe into the supposed anomalies in the BuCor, said one probable reason why Santos was killed is to prevent him from becoming state witness.

“Siyempre marami siyang nalalaman. Lahat ng papel ng mga preso siya ang nagno-notaryo, malapit siya sa mga preso (Of course he knows a lot. He is the one who notarizes all documents of the inmates, he is close to them),” he said in a radio interview.

The chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee said another possibility that led to Santos’ killing could have been failed deals involving the release of inmates.

He said Santos, or a group involving him, may have had arranged deals for the early release of inmates but never materialized when the GCTA controversy was suddenly thrust into the open.

“Nagpalabas na sila nang nagpalabas, biglang pumutok ‘yung kay Sanchez. Siyempre, natataranta na lahat ‘yan. Maaaring may nagkapalitan na ng pera diyan, kaya maaaring ‘yun ang naging mitsa ng kaniyang buhay (They released a lot of inmates, then Sanchez’s case broke out. Everybody became confused. Money could already have been exchanged, and that could have led to his death),” Gordon said.

The alleged corruption in the BuCor came to light last year after reports warned of the impending release of convicted rapist and murderer, former Calauan, Laguna mayor Antonio Sanchez through the expanded GCTA policy.

Santos was suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman last September for his involvement in the GCTA controversy.

On Wednesday afternoon, Santos was shot dead in Barangay Poblacion, Muntinlupa City by still unidentified gunmen.

Following his death, Senate President Vicente Sotto III bared that the slain BuCor official had, during the Senate hearings, informed his office that he was “ready to tell all” about the supposed anomalies in the implementation of the expanded GCTA.

Sotto said Santos later backed out for unknown reasons.