Prisons chief Diokno quits post in wake of Leviste caper

(Updated 6:56 p.m.) Bureau of Corrections chief Ernesto Diokno on Monday resigned from his post following the controversial unauthorized "vacation" of convicted killer Antonio Leviste, but there is a possibility that he will be appointed to another position. Diokno's resignation was announced by President Benigno Aquino III at a press briefing in Malacañang on Monday afternoon. The announcement was made on the same day the Department of Justice (DOJ) submitted its report on the Leviste caper to Aquino. "Nagpapasalamat ako kay Direktor Diokno sa kanyang naging serbisyo at sa kanyang delikadesa sa pagbibitiw. Ang kaniyang pagbaba sa puwesto ay magbibigay daan sa agarang pagpapatupad ng mga repormang nais nating gawin sa ating sistemang Koreksyonal. Marami po dito’y tinukoy na rin po niya," Aquino said. [Click here for Aquino's statement.] Aquino brought with him, during the briefing, the one-inch thick report of the DOJ panel. He refused to answer questions regarding the report as he has yet to read it fully. "Dumeretso ako sa recommendations. I want to give you correct answers, I don't want be in error kaya hayaan nyo muna akong basahin ito," he said.
Emotional meeting Aquino said Diokno went to his office and tendered his resignation before 2 p.m. He described their 20-minute meeting as an "emotional moment." He admitted that he felt compassion for Diokno, whom he said just inherited the problems in the BuCor such as congestion, lack of personnel, and the flawed processes. "Inuunawa ko 'yung kahirapan ng trabaho. Naiintindihan ko na isang naging matapat na kaibigan at siguro naman po ay kaya makatwiran lang na asahan ko ‘yung kanyang delicadeza ‘nung siya'y nagbitiw," he said. Asked if Diokno apologized to him, Aquino said: "The resignation is the best form of apology." "Nadama ko ang kabigatan ng kanyang kalooban at ipinaliwanag niya ang kahirapan ng kanyang katungkulan," he said. Diokno to another post? Asked if he would appoint Diokno to another position, the President said Diokno "is not a spring chicken" and that "there is a potential." "There is a possibility, but obviously not in a similar situation," he said. "Yung delicadeza is very important to me. Yung hindi makapal ‘yung mukha; ‘yung hindi kapit-tuko sa pwesto. Hindi makakita ng pagkakamali niya—‘pag ‘yun ‘yung mga dinemonstrate niya, syempre sarado na ‘yung pintuan pero he didn't do it." Asked if he has already chosen Diokno's replacement, the President answered in the affirmative but refused to identify the person, saying he will allow him to think things over and realize the weight of the job offered to him. Leviste, a former Batangas governor, has been charged with evasion of service of sentence after he was arrested for leaving the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) compound without the necessary pass. He was convicted of homicide in 2009 for the killing of his friend Rafael delas Alas two years earlier. Diokno, when he faced the DOJ fact-finding panel last week, said he should not be blamed for the incident because he is only concerned with policy-making matters. He, however, went on leave before the start of the investigation. Graceful exit Justice Secretary Leila de Lima lauded Diokno's resignation, which she said had spared the Office of the President from pressures to sack him. "I think it's the most honorable and selfless way to address the issue. You know, [it's a] graceful exit," said De Lima. Aquino and Diokno are alleged to have close ties, with the latter serving as Western Police District chief during the presidency of Corazon Aquino, the incumbent president's mother. In a press statement earlier, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the fate of Diokno and other directly concerned officials will be decided fairly. "The President already stated this is not a matter of loyalty or shared history. Integral to due process, we plan to avail of all available resources to uncover the truth," he said. He further said that the administration has always stressed integrity among public servants, and “everyone accountable in the breach in BuCor will be determined and meted the proper disciplinary action." Lacierda added that the government is looking at all possible avenues to implement reforms in the country’s prison system. He said the President has already asked concerned agencies to submit proposals. — with Sophia Dedace/KBK, GMA News