An official of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) was given preventive suspension from his post following the discovery of an animal ranch at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

BuCor Officer-in-Charge Gregorio Catapang relieved Gabriel Chaclag, the agency's deputy director general for reformation, to prevent him from influencing the investigation.

“I am relieving him of his duties because I will be investigating how it happened,'' said Catapang in an interview over GMA News 24 Oras on Thursday night.

Chaclag was spokesman of the agency during the term of Gerald Bantag, who was suspended as BuCor director general after he was tagged as allegedly behind the killing of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid.

There are snakes and chickens inside the NBP.

Bantag said horses can help BuCor officials in patrolling and pursuing escaping detainees. Snakes were being used to control pests, he added, according to a newspaper. DMS