SolGen Guevarra denies knowledge of Bilibid excavation | ABS-CBN

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SolGen Guevarra denies knowledge of Bilibid excavation

SolGen Guevarra denies knowledge of Bilibid excavation

Mike Navallo,

ABS-CBN News

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DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra during a press conference, Sept. 16, 2019. Mark Demayo ABS-CBN News/File 
DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra during a press conference, Sept. 16, 2019. Mark Demayo ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday denied knowledge about the excavation and tunnel recently discovered within the compound of the New Bilibid Prison.

Guevarra was Justice secretary under the previous administration, when the digging allegedly started.

“As former justice secretary, I had absolutely no knowledge about this alleged excavation inside the NBP compound. The same being an operational matter, the BuCor (Bureau of Corrections) probably did not find it necessary to inform, much less seek authorization from, the DOJ,” he said in a text message to reporters.

Prisons bureau officer-in-charge Gregorio Catapang, Jr. last week divulged the discovery of the excavation and the tunnel that is about 200 meters by 200 meters wide and 30 meters deep.

Catapang said it had no paperwork and was not authorized by the bureau.

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But he confirmed BuCor owned the equipment, particularly the backhoe, used for digging.

The digging, which allegedly began 6 months ago, was done in secret with the backhoe operator instructed to bring the equipment only to the NBP’s main gate.

In an interview with ANC, Catapang raised the possibility that it might be connected to illegal quarrying or treasure hunting, although he said authorities were also looking into the possibility that the excavation was used to smuggle contraband into the national penitentiary or for the possible escape of detainees.

In a TV interview, suspended BuCor chief Gerald Bantag claimed the excavation was intended to build a deep swimming pool since he is a scuba diver.

He denied it was intended as an escape tunnel.

The revelation of the existence of the hole and the tunnel came after 12,000 contraband items were retrieved in Bilibid, which included illegal drugs, liquor, weapons and phones.

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