Sotto: SC can stop Sanchez’s impending release 

Senate President Vicente Sotto III. INQUIRER.net file photo / CATHY MIRANDA

MANILA, Philippines—The implementation of the law that  would pave the way for  the early release of former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez must be stopped, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said Thursday.

And this, he said, could be done by bringing the issue before the Supreme Court (SC).

Sotto said this as he  plans to file  a resolution in the Senate, seeking a review of  Republic Act 10592  that increased the Good Conduct Time Allowance  fo prisoners.

Sanchez, who was convicted for raping  and killing Eileen Sarmenta and her friend Allan Gomez in 1993, was among the  more  than 10,000 inmates who  would  reportedly benefit from the law.

READ: Early Sanchez release sparks fear, anguish

Sotto, however, noted the two incidents where the former  mayor  was caught  in possession of illegal drugs even inside his prison cell.

“In short, he doesn’t qualify, ganun kasimple lang ang usapan dun,” the Senate leader said in an interview at the Senate.

Sotto then said he would push for amendments of the law to exclude those charges with heinous crimes from its coverage.

But pending review of the law, the Senate leader said its implementation must be stopped, probably by seeking a temporary restraining order  from the SC.

“Right now, it has to be stopped  because  the computation is not correct,”  Sotto said, referring in particular to the computation of Sanchez’s jail term.

“Perhaps someone can bring it up to the Supreme Court for temporary restraining order so that it will not be executed right away,” he added.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, who prosecuted Sanchez when he was Justice secretary, also appealed to the Department of Justice to put on hold the impending release of the former mayor.

“We appeal to the Secretary of Justice Menardo Guevarra to hold the release of Sanchez and to review and study carefully if, number one, Sanchez is really entitled to the benefits of RA 10592; and, number two, if he has really exhibited good conduct while he is in prison,” Drilon said in a  statement.

He said he would  file a resolution  to investigate Sanchez’s impending release, saying  the applicability of RA 10592 to Sanchez is questionable. /jpv

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