Pacquiao says Faeldon a ‘good man,’ but urges him to take a leave of absence

Sen. Manny Pacquaio. INQUIRER.net file photo / CATHY MIRANDA

MANILA, Philippines — While Senator Manny Pacquiao believes Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Nicanor Faeldon is a “good man,” he believes the former Marine captain must take a leave-of-absence to spare the Duterte administration from embarrassment.

“I know that Undersecretary Faeldon is a good man and has served his country well but I really (think) that he can spare the President and this administration from embarrassment by taking a leave-of-absence,” Pacquiao said Wednesday in a statement.

“It is temporary anyway and he can easily go back to the BuCor or in any other government position once this issue has been fully clarified,” he added.

Calls for Faeldon’s resignation have been mounting after he was questioned during a Senate inquiry on the release of nearly 2,000 heinous crime convicts on the basis of the Republic Act 10592 or the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law.

“Besides, the President is unnecessarily dragged into this whole mess being the appointing authority. If Usec Faeldon truly respects the President, he must do the right thing. I’m pretty sure everything will work out for him in the end,” Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao also questioned the supposed practice of selling freedom to prisoners or the so-called “GCTA for sale.”

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1160003/lp-senator-says-good-conduct-time-being-sold-to-favored-inmates

“Sa ngayon, kwentong barbero lang yang GCTA-for-sale na sinasabi nila dahil wala pa naman silang maipakitang ebidensiya,” he said.

The issue also prompted Pacquiao to renew calls for the reimposition of death penalty for heinous crimes.

“This GCTA law should be reviewed and should only cover petty crimes. On the other hand, this controversy should already serve as a wake up call for Congress to finally approve the re-imposition of the death penalty on certain heinous crimes,” he said.