Catapang wants ex-women’s jail execs charged

Administrative, criminal and civil cases will be filed against two former superintendents of the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) and five other personnel over alleged irregularities in the administration and handling of funds entrusted to them by persons deprived of liberty (PDL), Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director general Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said yesterday.

The move followed an investigation by the Directorate for Intelligence and Investigation (DII) on which Catapang approved a recommendation to initiate administrative proceedings before the BuCor Office of Internal Affairs Service.

The personnel named in the proceedings were C/SSupt. Daisy Sevilla-Castillote, CT/SSupt. Marjorie Ann Sanidad, CO2; Bianca Flor C. Ramos, CO1; Maryrose Y. Abucay, CO1; Madel C. Figuerres, CO1; Gloria N. Lakisa, CO1; and Charlot Jennifer L. Carreon, CO1.

The accused were found in a recent investigation to have pilfered roughly P6 million in PDL trust funds from family remittances and personal savings at the CIW in Mandaluyong City.

The BuCor chief also directed the filing of appropriate criminal and civil cases against the personnel involved.

In its investigative report dated 30 August, the DII found that Ramos, who served as CIW Trust Fund Officer, could not account for P5,153,375 in the PDL Trust Fund. However, the final audit report of the parallel investigation conducted by the BuCor Internal Audit Service Unit on 25 August reflected an unaccounted amount of P6.4 million, without deducting the more than P1.2 million accounted amount yet to be collected or listed as receivables.

Catapang said that a second review will be conducted to reconcile the difference. Castillote will face administrative proceedings for gross neglect of duty and grave misconduct during her tenure as CIW superintendent.

According to the investigation, she failed to exercise the required diligence in supervising, monitoring, reconciling, and maintaining institutional control over the PDL Trust Fund.

Policy breached

She also failed to comply with the BuCor PDL Trust Fund Policy, the primary guideline governing the fund’s management, responsibility, monitoring, and supervision.

It was also alleged that Castillote expressly authorized the use of PDL Trust Fund money for the renovation and improvement of the multipurpose hall, overseer’s office, and Investigation and Verification Section Unit, violating restrictions on the administration, use, and disposition of trust fund resources.

Sanidad, who served as acting CIW superintendent before Castillote’s appointment, was cited for authorizing P300,000 in advances from the trust fund to cover an LBC remittance intended for PDLs that reportedly had not been properly transmitted. The transaction was likewise deemed inconsistent with existing policies governing the use and disposition of PDL Trust Fund resources.

Ramos, the trust fund officer, meanwhile, could not satisfactorily explain the whereabouts, disposition, or use of the P5,153,375 deficiency.