Why did Faeldon sign Sanchez’s papers?

Batas Mauricio .

SO everyone will know, I am coming out this day with one very important part of Republic Act 10592 or the so-called “good conduct time allowance” law.

Republic Act 10592 is the law that allows reducing the time during which a convicted felon should stay in jail, on account of that felon’s good conduct or exemplary behavior while in prison.

Here is what Section 1, Republic Act 10592, says: “Provided, finally, That recidivists, habitual delinquents, escapees and persons charged with heinous crimes are excluded from the coverage of this Act…”

Now, based on Section 1 of Republic Act 10592, or the “good conduct time allowance” (GCTA) law, does former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez have any right or entitlement to be given a reduced prison term so that he could already be released from Muntinlupa City at present? To enable us to answer this question, we should know the criminal cases that sent Sanchez to Bilibid.

According to official documents, the cases that caused the jailing of Sanchez were the rape-murder cases involving Eileen Sarmenta, and the related murder case of Alan Gomez, in the early 1990s. What kind of cases are rape and murder charges, like the cases with which Sanchez were charged in court? Clearly, they are classified as heinous crimes since they are penalized with life sentences.

Under existing regulations in the Philippines, any crime which is penalized by life imprisonment would be considered a heinous crime. Now, if the crimes with which Sanchez were charged, tried, and ultimately convicted were considered heinous crimes (not just one, but three separate heinous crimes), there should be no question at all that he could not be released based on GCTA.

The really difficult question here pertains to the head of the Bureau of Corrections National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa City. Why did this head, Director Nicanor Faeldon, sign the release order of former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez, when the former town executive was clearly not qualified to be so released?

No doubt, Faeldon knew, or ought to have known, what Republic Act 10592, or the “good conduct time allowance” law contains. Faeldon also knew, or ought to have known, on account of his own personal acumen and intellect honed by his stay at the military establishment, that Sanchez could not have been eligible to receive the benefits of that law.  

So, all points indicate that Faeldon had a very grave and compelling reason that prompted him to sign the documents allowing Sanchez to go scott-free. And this is what the Senate, under Sen. Richard Gordon of the Blue Ribbon Committee, should endeavor to discover or unearth. Faeldon is no oxymoron. And he is not someone who could easily be cowed by anyone into releasing Sanchez. Let’s wait and see if Gordon can have the wit and the mental agility to find out what lies behind all these!

E-mail: batasmauricio@yahoo.com, mmauriciojr111@gmail.com