MANILA - A former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) official who testified in the Senate's inquiry into the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) law was shot dead Wednesday afternoon, police said.

Lawyer Fredric Santos was aboard his vehicle in front of his child's school in Barangay Poblacion when he was attacked by 2 gunmen.

Santos served as BuCor's legal division chief when senators looked into the bureau for allowing heinous crime convicts to walk free without seeking the approval of the Department of Justice, the agency overseeing the bureau.

He was cited in contempt for supposedly lying and being evasive when asked about the alleged anomalies in Bilibid.

• Key BuCor officials backed out of hearing: Lacson

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The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee had recommended the filing of charges against former BuCor chief Nicanor Faeldon and 6 other officials.

• Senate panel recommends filing charges vs Faeldon, BuCor officials over GCTA mess

At least 3 BuCor officials had been killed since 2018. Metro Manila Police said their murders could have links to the release of heinous crime convicts.

• Killings of 3 BuCor officials linked to release of heinous crime convicts?

--With a report from Michael Delizo, ABS-CBN News