Sanchez’s wife admits asking Duterte’s help for ex-mayor’s release, bares death threats
Credit to Author: BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO| Date: Tue, 03 Sep 2019 05:50:00 +0000
THE wife of former Calauan, Laguna mayor Antonio Sanchez, on Tuesday admitted that she sought help from President Rodrigo Duterte and other government and elected officials to facilitate the release of her husband but denied that she lobbied for it.
“That’s all what we did,” Elvira Sanchez told senators on Tuesday, the second day of their inquiry into the controversial Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law, which allows the release of prisoners for “good behavior,” including those convicted of heinous crimes, former Calauan, Laguna mayor Antonio Sanchez, among them.
She said she had written retired Justice Arturo Brion, Rep. Imelda Marcos, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, mayor Sanchez’s lawyer; and the Bureau of Pardon and Parole (BPP).
Sanchez also claimed that she had received death threats following reports that her husband would be released.
Sanchez’s children, former Councilor Allan Antonio Sanchez 2nd and Councilor Ave Marie Tonee Sanchez-Alcid, were present at the Senate blue ribbon committee inquiry presided by Sen. Richard Gordon.
Sanchez was sentenced to seven life terms in 1999 for the rape-slay of University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) student Eileen Sarmienta and the murder of her friend and fellow UPLB student Allan Gomez.
Sanchez’s wife testified that she received a text on August 20 from an unidentified person informing her that husband would be released. But when asked to produce her cellphone, she said she no longer used it as she had removed the SIM (subscriber identification module) card.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon asked Sanchez whether she knew the texter, she said, “‘Di po talaga kilalala (I really don’t know the sender).”
Asked whether she brought her cellphone with her, Sanchez said, “Wala po akong cellphone. Tinanggal ko ang SIM. Ang dami kasing death threat (I don’t have a cellphone. I removed the SIM. It’s because there are a lot of death threats [that I receive]).”
Sanchez said that, together with her children, she met with Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Nicanor Faeldon on August 21 to seek clarification about reports that Sanchez may be released in two months.
“I told him, andito po kami to clarify things kasi kahapon narining namin lalaya na asawa namin (I told him, we’re here to clarify things because yesterday [August 20] we heard that my husband will be released),” she told the senators.
“Ang sagot niya, ‘Mrs., hinold ko proseso kasi first in, first out.’ (His reply was, ‘Mrs., I held the process because [there is a policy] of first in, first out),” said Sanchez, quoting Faeldon.