Muntinlupa City - A Penal Superintendent of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) was shot five (5) times in front of his quarters at Vicar, New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Reservation in Muntinlupa City, at around 8:45  this morning. 

Initial investigation disclosed that Prison Superintendent (PS) III FRANCISCO B. ABUNALES, 62 years old, was onboard his  service vehicle, when two (2) unidentified men riding a motorcycle in tandem approached and fired five (5) shots hitting him in different parts of his body.

According to the report of PSSupt. Roque dela Vega, Chief of Muntinlupa City PNP, who had taken over the investigation, PSIII Abunales was declared dead by his attending physician at the  Muntinlupa Medical Center at around 9:38 am.

PSIII Abunales was formerly the head of Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro, but was suspended due to the fatal shooting incident of a maximum security prisoner, Roland Ho. He, along with several prison officers of said penal farm, were relieved of their duties. PSIII Abunales was, at the time of his death, detailed at the NBP, pending investigation into the death of inmate Ho.

Investigation report on the said Sablayan case reveals that inmate Ho, without authorization and without the benefit of an escort guard, left his confinement area and was shot to death at Sablayan town proper on 14 June 2013.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) handled the investigation of the administrative charges against PSIII Abunales and thirteen (13) others to avoid white wash. Last week, the DOJ ordered the respondents, including PSIII Abunales, to answer the charges filed against them.