黑料社

MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Nicanor Faeldon admitted meeting the family of convicted rapist and murderer Antonio Sanchez. He said, however, that he did not give them an assurance that the former mayor of Calauan, Laguna would be released.

Answering questions from Sen. Risa Hontiveros during Monday鈥檚 Senate probe reviewing the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) law, Faeldon said Sanchez鈥檚 relatives went to his office to talk to him.

鈥淓vening of July 29, I was already resting in my quarters when I was informed by one of my staff that [the family] of PDL [person deprived of liberty] Sanchez would want to talk to me. That鈥檚 already 9 [p.m.]. So I said that can you [staff] request that if it鈥檚 possible, if it鈥檚 okay with them, bukas na lang ng office time natin sila kausapin,鈥� the BuCor chief recalled.

鈥淏umalik yung aking staff at sabi: 鈥楬indi raw sila aalis pag di mo sila hinarap.鈥� So, I was shocked, hindi talaga ko lumabas,鈥� he added.

Faeldon said the former mayor鈥檚 relatives arrived in his office early the next day.

鈥淭hey cried. So I told them: 鈥業f your father is going to be qualified for GCTA just like the rest of the PDL that鈥檚 going to be the case since he will be released, but that is really depending on whether or not he will be qualified for GCTA鈥�,鈥� he said.

鈥淪o, there was never an assurance,鈥� he added.

The family of Sanchez earlier said a release order for the high-profile convict dated Aug. 20 had already been issued.

But during the Senate hearing, Faeldon said he only signed a memorandum ordering which would start the processing of all documents for an inmate鈥檚 release.

The Senate justice and human rights committee is set to conduct another hearing on Tuesday.

According to its chair, Sen. Richard Gordon, Sanchez鈥檚 family were invited to attend.

鈥淚ninvite namin hindi dumating eh. So, iimbitahin ko sila ulit, dahil importante yun,鈥� Gordon told reporters after the hearing.

Asked if he would issue a subpoena obligating the former mayor鈥檚 family to show up at the Senate, Gordon said: 鈥淗indi ko padadalan ng subpoena. I will tell them kung 鈥榙i sila pupunta [sa next hearing] eh isa-subpoena na namin.

In 1995, Sanchez was sentenced to seven life imprisonments for the gruesome murder of two University of the Philippines 鈥� Los Ba帽os students two years prior.

But reports of the former mayor鈥檚 impending release under the GCTA brought the brutal case back into the public spotlight after more than 20 years.

It also triggered outrage which prompted the Department of Justice to suspend the processing of the early release of inmates under the GCTA law.

/atm