Palace denies hand in Sanchez’s impending release
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Wed, 21 Aug 2019 10:06:39 +0000
MALACAÑANG on Wednesday denied any role in the impending release of a former mayor who was a convicted rapist and murderer .
READ: Convicted ex-Laguna mayor Sanchez may be free man soon – Guevarra
In a phone patch interview, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo also said he had withdrawn as former Calauan mayor Antonio Sanchez’s legal counsel.
“Mukhang masyadong malayo naman yun. Twenty-seven years ago pa akong abogado noon dati, nag-withdraw na ako. Even before the appeal nag-withdraw na ako (That’s far-fetched. I withdrew from the case 27 years ago even before the appeal was made),” said Panelo, who was one of Sanchez’s counsel in the 1993 rape-murder of University of the Philippines Los Baños student Eileen Sarmenta, and the murder of her companion Allan Gomez.
Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director-General Nicanor Faeldon had confirmed that Sanchez may be a free man in two months, along with about 11,000 others.
Sanchez was convicted in 1995 and sentenced to seven terms of reclusion perpetua (up to 40 years’ imprisonment for each term).
Panelo, who also serves as President Rodrigo Duterte’s top legal counsel, said the government has no choice but to follow the law if it would release Sanchez.
“Well, kung (if) the law as it is crafted says that all the inmates who are qualified to be released, then that’s what the law says. And we have to, as we always repeatedly say, there’s a rule of law and we always have to abide by the rule of law,” Panelo said.
“Kaya nga sila nire-release, yung 11,000, eh. Kasi nga pumapasok sila doon sa sinasabi ng batas ‘pag may good behavior. Meron silang mga computation. Hindi na natin teritoryo yun (That’s why they are being released because they are covered by the law due to their good behavior. They have computations for that, that’s not our turf anymore),” he said.
Republic Act 10592 expanded the application of good conduct time allowance for prisoners even during preventive imprisonment, and increased the number of days that may be credited for good conduct.
The Supreme Court also allowed in June this year the retroactive application of the law as it benefitted detention and convicted prisoners.
The Palace official said that those who found injustice should raise their concern to Congress.
“The law has been crafted by Congress so whatever concerns they have should be addressed to Congress,” he said.
He said the decision was up to the Board of Pardons and Parole.
Panelo said he was happy for Sanchez for his impending release but said he did not feel vindicated about the news.
“I wish him well. Pareho rin ng lahat ng abogado na may mga kliyenteng nakulong pagkatapos na-release. Siyempre, you’ll be happy for them na may bago na silang buhay after the release (Like any other lawyer who will be happy if their client will be released. Of course, you’ll be happy for them that they will have a new life after the release),” Panelo said.
“Alam mo yung aking paghawak sa kaso (You know, me handling cases, I do it just) as a lawyer lang (only). I’m not attached to any of the cases I had emotionally,” he added. CATHERINE S. VALENTE