MANILA, Philippines—The head of the Senate committee investigating reports of irregularities in the release of convicts on good conduct time allowance on Friday (Sept. 6) said Nicanor Faeldon, who was sacked as Bureau of Corrections chief, is not off the hook although it appeared he was not involved in a scheme to free prisoners in exchange for money.
Faeldon, according to Sen. Richard Gordon, is “not yet” cleared in the BuCor scandal which blew out in the open when it turned out that rapist-murderer Antonio Sanchez was one of thousands of inmates set for release as a result of a recomputation of good conduct time in jail.
“I’m not looking for evidence” against Faeldon, said Gordon, chair of the justice committee investigating the BuCor scandal.
A witness, Yolanda Camilon, turned up at the Senate hearing on Thursday (Sept. 5).
Camilon testified under oath that she paid P50,000 to BuCor officials for the early release of her common-law partner. She did not mention Faeldon as among the BuCor officials she transacted with.
READ: Witness tells Senate: Freedom comes with a price tag in Bilibid
Gordon said while Faeldon may not be involved in bribery for freedom at the BuCor, he believed the sacked BuCor chief might be liable for “grave abuse of discretion.”
He cited two instances that could spell trouble for Faeldon—he allowed his subalterns to sign release documents and the “haphazard way” the release of Sanchez was arranged.
“I believe if it could be proven, and circumstancial, I don’t believe that the Sanchez family was not dealing with him,” Gordon said.
At the Senate hearing, Faeldon insisted that no official release order was signed for the ex-Calauan mayor who raped, passed on to his henchmen and had ordered the killing of UP Los Banos student Eileen Sarmenta and the ordered the killing of Sarmenta’s friend Allan Gomez.
READ: Faeldon insists: There’s no release order for Sanchez
The sacked BuCor Chief also admitted that he had met with Sanchez’s family, although he said he never gave his word to them that Sanchez will be released./tsb
READ: Faeldon admits meeting Sanchez kin about release