De Lima believes syndicate behind BuCor official's assassination

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has expressed belief that a powerful well-entrenched criminal syndicate operating inside the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) could be behind the assassination of BuCor official Ruperto Traya, Jr.

De Lima, a former justice secretary, said she has reason to believe that Traya was killed because he knew about the fabrication of inmates' records by his division in charge of processing and computing the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) of inmates.

"Most plausibly, he posed a danger to those responsible for tidying up the inmates' records, including that of Sanchez, as a potential whistleblower," she said in her recent Dispatch from Crame No. 589.

Traya was gunned down by an unidentified assailant in Muntinlupa City last Aug. 27. The victim just got off his car and was about to open the gate of his rented parking lot when he was killed by a lone gunman.

The lady Senator from Bicol underscored the need to investigate Traya's killing as it was too much of a coincidence that it happened amid the controversy involving the now-botched release of former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez.

Sanchez was among those supposed to be released under the GCTA Law despite being sentenced to seven life imprisonment for rape and murder. However, then BuCor head Nicanor Faeldon recalled his release order due to public outcry.

De Lima pointed out that Traya's killing and the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) scandal show the deep-seated corruption inside BuCor that could implicate a syndicate involving some BuCor officials in criminal activities.

"(Nicanor) Faeldon is just the tip of the iceberg. The rest of the BuCor syndicate must be exposed and all its members investigated and prosecuted immediately," De Lima said.

She called on authorities to investigate the Inmates' Documents Processing Division of the BuCor while the murder of Traya and Faeldon's attempt to release Sanchez are still fresh in the public's mind.

De Lima said the possibility that Traya's killing is connected with "GCTA for Sale" syndicate should be fully explored to unmask those behind the murder and bring them to justice.

Despite the controversy hounding the GCTA implementation, De Lima has urged her colleagues in the Senate and the House of Representatives to improve the GCTA law instead of repealing it due to misapplication and misinterpretation to benefit favored convicts.