Gordon cites ‘humanitarian contempt’ vs BuCor officials

As the Senate inquiry on the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) mess continued Thursday, Senator Richard Gordon cited in contempt Bureau of Correction (BuCor) officers Maria Belinda Bansil and Veronica Buño.

During the Senate hearing by the Blue Ribbon Committee, Gordon said that he will be placing Bansil and Buño in contempt after it was found out that they indeed communicated with Yolanda Camilon, wife of Bilibid inmate Godfrey Gamboa, to negotiate Gamboa’s release under the Good Conduct Time Allowance law in exchange for money.

Gordon said that he opted to cite the two individuals in contempt, but clarified that it’s a “humanitarian contempt” as they will stay safe in the Senate grounds.

“The Chair votes to cite you in contempt. I will call it a humanitarian contempt, so you can think about it,” Gordon said, referring to the BuCor officials’ perjured testimonies.

The senator made the move after National Bureau of Investigation Chief Dante Gierran — citing the NBI’s probe – that Bansil and Buño were part of the negotiations in releasing an inmate under the GCTA law for money.

Prior to being cited in contempt for giving false testimonies, Buño and Bansil told Gordon’s committee that they did not converse with Gamboa’s wife involving the latter’s release under the GCTA law.

Buño, meantime, conceded that there were claims made by Gamboa’s wife Yolanda which are true.