Justice dep’t seeks more info from BuCor on Palparan interview

THE DEPARTMENT of Justice has asked the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to submit additional information to determine if violations of prison rules were committed in a recent interview of a jailed ex-military general.

“The BuCor submitted a report last week, but according to (Justice Undersecretary Deo L. Marco), he found the report insufficient to determine full compliance of the procedural requirements before acting on the request for interview with a PDL (person deprived of liberty),” Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra told reporters on Viber on Sunday.

“So, he asked the BuCor to submit an additional report,” Mr. Guevarra said.

The case involves the interview with convicted Jovito S. Palparan, Jr. at the Bilibid Prison by a spokesperson of the government’s anti-communist task force. It was aired over a television network owned by Filipino religious leader Apollo C. Quiboloy, who is wanted in the United States for sex trafficking and other charges.

Mr. Palparan, who is serving a life sentence, and two co-accused were found guilty of kidnapping two University of the Philippines students. The two students, who were abducted in 2006, remain missing. — Jaspearl Emerald G. Tan