‘Never been happier now:’ Relieved Faeldon says after dismissal

MANILA, Philippines — “I’ve never been happier now.”

Sacked Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief said this as reporters asked him how he was feeling nearly a day after President Rodrigo Duterte dismissed him from his post.

“Wala nang yoke sa balikat. You can soundly sleep,” he told reporters before facing the Senate investigation into the controversial law on the early release of convicts based on good conduct.

Earlier, Senator Richard Gordon said he was informed that Faeldon would not be attending the inquiry.

“I was told just this morning that nakikiusap yung abugado ni Mr. Faeldon kung maaari, di daw siya dadalo,” Gordon, chair of the Senate justice and human rights committee, said before the 10 a.m. hearing.

But according to Faeldon’s spokesman, Jose Diño Jr., there was mix-up on the schedule.

“Wala akong message…There was a mix-up on the schedule,” Faeldon’s counsel said.

Former Bureau of Corrections Director General Nicanor Faeldon. INQUIRER.net photo / CATHY MIRANDA

Diño explained that Gordon adjusted the supposed schedule of Thursday‘s hearing into the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) law as there was a BuCor budget hearing at the House at the same time.

“Sabi niya [Gordon] we will wait for you, but we will salang PhilHealth first. So, ang call time namin all along was three,” Diño added.

A Senate hearing into the alleged corruption and fraudulent activities within PhilHealth, also to be led by Gordon, was originally scheduled at 10 a.m while the hearing into the GCTA law was set at 3 p.m.

On Wednesday, President Rodrigo Duterte fired Faeldon in view of the controversy surrounding the release of heinous crime convicts based on GCTA law. /jpv

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