President Benigno S. Aquino III receives a scale model of the 2-classroom school building presented by the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc., (FFCCCII), led by its president Angel Ngu, during the oath taking ceremony at the Rizal Hall of the Malacañan Palace on Tuesday (June 23, 2015). The Operation: Barrio Schools is the longest running and biggest private sector led development program focused on educational infrastructure. To date, some 4,933 school buildings – equivalent to 9,866 classrooms – have already been turned over to public schools nationwide, benefitting nearly one million schoolchildren. Also in photo is Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. (MNS Photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Retired Lt. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz III on Tuesday was sworn in as the new director general of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), which maintains the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.
Accompanied by his family, Cruz was sworn in by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima at the Department of Justice in Manila. The BuCor is a DOJ agency.
“My marching order to him was to make BuCor and the NBP drug-free,” De Lima told reporters.
Cruz replaced BuCor officer-in-charge Franklin Bucayu, who earlier asked President Benigno Aquino III to remove him from the post due to several “death threats” and “issues with health.”
Bucayu informed De Lima he intended to leave the BuCor in early April, barely four months after a raid led by the Justice secretary at the NBP led to the discovery of prohibited items and other contraband like gadgets, money and illegal drugs inside the detention cells of high-profile inmates.
Cruz previously served as commander of the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command from 2013 to 2014. He was also the assistant division commander of the Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division from 2011 to 2012.
The new BuCor chief belongs to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Mapitagan” Class of 1980.
Cruz earlier said he would continue the reforms initiated by his predecessor, particularly the development of the NBP.
He said among his priorities would be addressing the reported VIP treatment of some inmates. (MNS)