Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Friday said it will be up to the Ombudsman to find out if some inmates bribe Bureau of Corrections officials to allow them to avail of the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GTCA).

"The Ombudsman is the one who will investigate that, whatever data we have we will give it to them," Año told reporters.

He said with the order of President Rodrigo Duterte to Ombudsman, all investigative agencies will stop probing the controversial GCTA law.

"Or (they will) just provide support to the Ombudsman," said Año.

On Thursday, Ombudsman Samuel Martires said he ordered a team of investigators to conduct "exhaustive investigation" on BuCor officials for their involvement with the release of prisoners under GCTA Law.

In a statement, Ombudsman said they obtained raw data and pertinen documents from BuCor.

"Since the Ombudsman has assumed jurisdiction over this case, no other agency is allowed to conduct a parallel investigation unless so authorized by the Ombudsman pursuant to law," said Martires.

"In order to avoid any possible conflicting findings, agencies such as the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, which announced its intent to also investigate the matter, should defer to the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman," he added. Ella Dionisio/DMS