Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla made it clear that the department currently lacks any information regarding the identity of the decapitated body discovered in a septic tank at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
In a House committee hearing on Thursday, Remulla acknowledged that he had unknowingly shared incorrect information with the media.
"Linawin ko lang po ang nangyari. Na-fake news ako na nahanap ang katawan na putol ang ulo. Yun po ang unang sinabi sa akin," said the justice secretary.
Earlier, Remulla had announced that the body belonged to Michael Cataroja, a prisoner who had been missing since July 15.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is currently conducting examinations on the piece of bone and underwear retrieved from the septic tank.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the NBI continue to treat Cataroja as a missing person, and efforts to locate him persist including searches at his former residence in Angono, Rizal.
“Ang status po niya (Cataroja) ay missing. Hangga’t di natin nabubuksan ang lahat ng septic tank at nagagalugad ang buong NBP, our declaration is he is missing,” Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gregorio Catapang said during the same hearing.
He also clarified that he would refrain from making any declarations until a comprehensive examination is conducted.
"Naimpormahan ako na may karugtong pa yung septic tank na pangalawa and meron pa yung third septic tank. Ang position ko ngayon, not unless nabuksan ko lahat yung septic tank, I will not declare," Catapang emphasized.
The BuCor Chief also apologized for the delayed reporting of the septic tank incident to the DOJ, explaining that he had recently undergone bypass surgery and requested understanding for the delay.
"Ipagpaumanhin ninyo the Secretary, I just underwent bypass kaya kung puwede sa level ko lang muna kasi wala namang masama kung na-delay ko po," Catapang added.
