A vehicle belonging to Bureau of Corrections Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. that his deputy director was using was fired at in Quezon City yesterday.

The Toyota Hilux pickup with a camper shell was being driven on the Skyway by CO1 Cornelio Colalong with CO1 Leonardo Cabaniero on their way to Quezon City to pick up BuCor Deputy Director General for Administration, lawyer Al Perreras, when it was strafed.     

Catapang said he and Perreras have been receiving death threats since they implemented various reforms at the agency.

The incident will not deter them from continuing with the reforms, he added.

A report from Catapang’s office said that at 6:30 a.m. yesterday, men in a gray Toyota Vios overtook the Innova backup car driven by CSO2 Edwin Berroya with CO2 Michael Magsanoc when the Hilux was shot at, shattering the rear window.

The bullet appeared to have been aimed at the front passenger seat, where Perreras usually sat. The Vios then drove towards the Nagtahan exit of the expressway.

Meanwhile, the BuCor announced the release of 24 persons deprived of liberty from the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan. The bureau said those released last 15 March had served their sentences with credits earned under the Good Conduct Time Allowance Law or GCTA.

Under Republic Act 10592, the GCTA credits a PDL for good behavior during detention.

“All of the released PDLs received a transportation allowance from the bureau and additional assistance from the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) through the coordination of the IPPF–External Affairs Section,” the BuCor said in a statement.