Panelo: President still mum on Faeldon’s status

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo believes that the President still trusts Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Nicanor Faeldon despite the controversies that the latter got involved in.

“Hanggat hindi nagsasalita si Presidente [Rodrigo Duterte], the presumption is he has the trust and confidence,” Panelo said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer 990 AM.

[Unless the President speaks, the presumption is he has the trust and confidence.]

Faeldon is again at the center of a controversy, this time in connection with the supposed early release of heinous crime convicts, particularly murderer and rapist Antonio Sanchez, former mayor of Calauan town in Laguna.

According to Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Sen. Panfilo Lacson, it was Faeldon who signed the release papers of Sanchez last Aug. 20.

READ: Pressure mounts on Faeldon over convicts’ early release

Before being appointed to head Bucor, Faeldon was chief of Bureau of Customs. It was under his watch, back in 2017, that a P6.4-billion shipment of crystal meth slipped through the bureau.

Faeldon then resigned from Customs and was succeeded by Isidro Lapeña, former chief of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

READ: Lapeña takes over Faeldon as Customs chief

In this current controversy, some people have started clamoring for Faeldon’s firing. However, Panelo said that he had not heard any comment yet from the President regarding the said issue.

“Wala pa naman siyang sinasabi. Hayaan natin si Presidente kung ano ang kanyang magiging desisyon,” Panelo said. “Diskarte ni Presidente yan. He has absolute discretion.”

[He hasn’t said anything. Let’s leave it to the President to make his decision. It’s his call. He has absolute discretion.]

/atm