Cataroja may have escaped by pretending to be visitor —Catapang

Michael Cataroja, the person deprived of liberty (PDL) who went missing from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in July and was recently arrested, may have escaped by pretending to be a visitor, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. said Friday.

“Ang initial investigation [kung] papaano siya nakatakas, kasi 'di ba may mga visitor, 'yung mga visitor tinatatakan ng marker,” Catapang said in an interview at the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm.

“Nakapagpatatak daw siya, nakapagpatatak siya and then nakakuha din siya ng visitor’s pass and then nakapagpalit siya ng baro kaya nakalusot siya,” he added.

However, Catapang said these are all under investigation and there is no definite information yet.

The BuCor on Thursday evening announced that Cataroja was arrested by Angono police in Sitio Minahan Bato, Barangay San Isidro after a tip from a concerned citizen.

Catapang reiterated that he formed a Board of Inquiry to probe the matter.

“Those who are responsible will have to...we will file cases against them of negligence of duty which can be tantamount to their dismissal from the service,” he said.

When asked about a possibility of a connivance, Catapang said, “Everything is possible.”

“Lahat ng iniisip ninyo na theory or what do you call that, 'yung parang nag-connive sila or whatever, that can, that is possible… But 'yung inquiry sasagot niyan,” Catapang said.

He said the commander of the guards, the superintendent of the NBP and the Maximum Security Compound, the directorate for security and operations, and the deputy director general for operations have to be investigated.

Former NBP Superintendent Angie Bautista first disclosed Cataroja’s disappearance.

The PDL’s disappearance led to a congressional inquiry in which Catapang said he believed Cataroja had escaped.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla at one time said that Cataroja’s remains had been found decapitated at the NBP, but later said it was “fake news.”—AOL, GMA Integrated News