Witness: GCTA really for sale

Witness Yolanda Camelon (middle) appears before the Senate Blue Ribbon Commitee on the GCTA controversy hearing.

As the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee resumes its hearing on the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) controversy at the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), a witness affirms the existence of the so-called “GCTA for sale.”

A certain Yolanda Camelon, who resides inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) compound and a common-law wife of an inmate, revealed that there really exist a GCTA buying inside the national penitentiary.

“Yung GCTA, isa kami sa naging biktima na nagpapatunay na may GCTA buying. May empleyado na lumapit sa’kin, si Maj. Maribel Bansil, nagpunta siya sa’kin kung gusto kong mapalaya agad-agad ang asawa ko to shorten sa service of sentence niya,” revealed Camelon.

She also disclosed that a certain amount — P50,000 to be exact — was the minimum, but it can be paid in staggered amounts.

“Sabi ko in what way, ‘yon nga lang magastos. May binanggit siyang certain amount na P50K. Sabi naman niya hindi agad-agad ibibigay, puwede naman daw staggered,” said Camelon.

The witness also said that she gave an initial payment of ₱10,000 in February to a certain “Chito” who she believes is the chief of the documents section in Muntinlupa.

BuCor official says “Maribel” is correctional senior inspector Maribel Bansil.

She also revealed that a certain Ramoncito Roque conducted the transaction where she said that she was asked when she would want her husband to be freed.

“Sabi niya sa’kin, ‘Anong month gusto mong mapalaya asawa mo?’ March, okay po ako ro’n. Nag-agree na po sa usapan na ‘yon… ‘Di niya binilang, basta tiningnan niya lang na nando’n ang pera,” recounted Camelon.

Camelon added that come 1 March, she was told by Bansil that she would have to wait since there are a lot of inmates that were still “in line.”

“Dumating ‘yong March 1 nag-followup ako. Ang sabi, ‘Hindi na kaya ni Sir, maraming trabaho, kung pupuwede, hintayin hanggang April’. Nagkita kami ni Ma’am Maribel, pinasobre niya ulit sa’kin ang pera. P20K nilagay ko,” said Camelon.

But to her dismay, she was told that her husband will be freed in June.

“June daw ang paglaya ng asawa ko. Sabi niya, antay-antay ka lang dahil may order sa taas na dapat palayain ito. In-endorse ako ni Sir Chito kay Sir Traya. Nagulat si Sir Traya, nagpa-followup ako sa asawa. Nagulat ako sa pinakita ni Sir Traya, ‘yong paglaya ng asawa ko na June 2019, naging October,” said Camelon.

Traya is the slain BuCor official Ruperto Traya Jr., BuCor’s chief administrative officer 3 at the bureau’s Inmate’s Document Processing Division.

Camelon furthered: “Sa paggamit ng GCTA, nagkaroon ng three yrs., eight months, seven days. According dito sa record, October 14. Sabi niya subject for adjustment. Sabiko kay Sir Chito, due date ng asawa ko, sabi niya August 2019, binigay ako bagong synopsis, sabi Oct. 13, 2019. Sabi ko “Ano po ba ang tamang computation ng GCTA?”

She added: “Ninety days po, hindi nila i-honor., ang kinuha lang po nila ay 25 days. The following day nag-follow up ako kay Sir Chito. Nagpa-print po ulit siya ng synopsis, nakalagay po doon ay 40 na. Sabi niya dinagdagan na naging 40 days na. Sabi ko salamat naman po Sir.”

However, the witness said that when she tried to get back her money, Bansil supposedly told her not to get back the money because “nag-effort naman si sir Chito.”

“I told sir Chito to return the money and they would wait for her husband’s release in October,” said Camelon.

Camelon stressed that she is putting her life and her husband’s life in danger for testifying.

“Nasa isip ko delikado ang ginawa kong pagbubunyag pero gusto ko lang malaman ng lahat kung ano ang totoo. Magaan ang pakiramdam kong isisiwalat ko ito. Makakalaya na ang asawa ko, kaya na niyang bunuin ‘yon,” said Camelon.

“Kung kami’y makakauwi na ng asawa ko, naaawa ako sa mga taong nabiktima na walang lakas ng loob magsalita, walang kakayahang isiwalat sa mga nangyari sa kanila. Uuwi na kami, paano ‘tong mga taong ‘to na walang kakayahaan, kulang ang kaalaman?” she added.