Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer-in-charge Gregorio Catapang Jr. will officially be appointed as the next Director General soon, replacing suspended BuCor DG Gerald Bantag.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin 'Boying' Remulla announced this in his speech during the culminating activity for the release of 340 inmates on Monday, January 23.
"Sa susunod ho na punta ko dito, hindi na acting, director na. Ang director natin na si DG Catapang," he said.
"Ilang oras na lang po ang binibilang ko bago ko makuha ang kaniyang signed appointment mula sa Pangulo ng Republika ng Pilipinas," Remulla added.
In an ambush interview with the media after the program, Remulla said he already talked with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin regarding Catapang's permanent appointment on Saturday, upon the arrival of President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. from Davos, Switzerland.
"Tomorrow is the cabinet meeting. I might get it [the signed appointment] by tomorrow," the DOJ Chief claimed.
Remulla said it took them a while to officially name a new BuCor Director General because they were studying the appointment thoroughly.
It can be recalled that in October last year, the DOJ appointed Catapang and preventively suspended Bantag following the death of the alleged middleman Cristito 'Jun" Villamor in the Percy Lapid slay case.
Last week, the DOJ imposed another 90-day preventive suspension against Bantag while the investigation of his administrative charges is still pending.
