At the Senate hearing on the release of heinous crime convicts via GCTA, Sen. Lacson stressed the need for closer coordination between the Board of Pardons and Parole and the Bureau of Corrections . He also welcomed the disclosure of DOJ Sec. Menardo Guevarra that an initial batch of heinous crime convicts who were released via GCTA had surrendered, after President Duterte gave them 15 days to turn themselves in.
Lacson also questioned the rush that prompted BuCor official Maria Fe Marquez to sign release papers for three convicts in the Chiong sisters’ 1997 rape-slay, for now-fired BuCor chief Nicanor Faeldon; as well as the blatant disregard of the procedure requiring the prior approval of the DOJ Secretary for convicts’ release.
At the resumption of the hearing, a resource person surfaced to give details of a supposed GCTA-for-sale racket supposedly involving BuCor personnel.
Related:
At the Hearing on the Release of Heinous Crime Convicts via GCTA (Sept. 2)
#PingSays: Sec. Panelo’s ‘Referral’ for ex-Mayor Sanchez; Sanchez Release and GCTA Issue (Sept. 3)
Facebooking from Maximum Security: Mobile Phones, Drugs and Firearms in Bilibid (Sept. 9)
‘TALAMAK ANG KORAPSYON!’ 7 Major Moneymaking Schemes at Bilibid Bared (Sept. 12)
QUOTES and NOTES:
CLOSER COORDINATION between BPP and BuCor:
Sen. Lacson cited the revelation by the PDEA that the Board of Pardons and Parole sought PDEA’s comment on whether to grant executive clemency to convicted Chinese drug lords. The PDEA objected, but this did not stop the BuCor from triggering the process for their release. “The BPP and BuCor are both under DOJ… (Kung) may closer coordination, aabot pa rin because of (the near-release of ex-Mayor Antonio) Sanchez, but as far as the Chinese drug lords, baka hindi aabot na na-release pa at turned over sa BI. Maybe a closer coordination should occur between the two agencies because related ang kanilang function.”
Lacson also welcomed Guevarra’s disclosure that a first batch of released GCTA beneficiaries had surrendered to authorities, less than 24 hours after President Duterte announced a 15-day ultimatum for them to turn themselves in. “That’s a good development,” Lacson said.
RUSH for the RELEASE of 3 CONVICTS in CHIONG RAPE-SLAY:
Sen. Lacson questioned the “rush” of C/Supt. Maria Fe Marquez, director of the BuCor Directorate for Reformation, in signing the release papers for Josman Aznar, Ariel Balansag and Alberto Caño, three of the convicts in the 1997 Chiong rape-slay case. Marquez admitted a staff from then BuCor chief Faeldon’s office called her staff and “asked me to stay behind to sign some release papers. “The more you talk, the more we suspect. What’s so special about 44 PDLs you have to stay behind and sign the documents on that particular day? Sagot mo baka ma-arbitrary detention which I countered na walang arbitrary detention,” Sen. Lacson replied.
Meanwhile, Lacson said an examination of the paper trail in the release of Chen Chang from the Davao Penal Colony showed that while the BuCor was aware of the requirement to seek prior approval from the DOJ Secretary for releasing convicts as contained in DOJ Department Order 953, this was eventually “disregarded.” “Alam nyo pala at sinusunod nyo, bakit disregard nyo ang SOJ in subsequent releases like the June 4 release of 4 drug lords and Aug 16 release of Aznar, Balansag and Caño, and aborted release of Sanchez? Bakit dinisregard nyo ang procedure na in the first place, you were practicing before?”
At the resumption of the hearing, Yolanda Camilon, 54, partner of an inmate at the New Bilibid Prison, testified she was a victim of a “GCTA-selling” racket. She said she was asked for P50,000 last February in exchange for having her husband’s sentence shortened. She said she came out after her husband was not released despite repeated promises to release him.
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Watch the hearing here. Videos courtesy: Senate PRIB
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