Detention greatly cut Faeldon’s pants size to ‘cadet days’

Being in detention for months had cost former Customs chief Nicanor Faeldon 28 pounds, his lawyer Jose Diño said moments after the Senate ordered the release of the former soldier on Monday.

Faeldon had been detained at the Office of the Sergeant at Arms (Osaa) in the Senate since September last year for refusal to participate in the Senate inquiry into the P6.4 billion worth of smuggled shabu from China until he was transferred to the Pasay City jail last January 29.

Senator Richard Gordon, who leads the investigation as chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee, ordered Faeldon’s release after the ex-Philippines Marines official promised that he would answer questions directly without “back-talking.”

Faeldon refused to give statements to reporters but his lawyer said the former Customs official was very happy with Gordon’s “very magnanimous gesture.”

“He (Faeldon) just wants to go home. He just wants to rest,” Diño said. “He lost a total of 28 pounds. ‘Yung suot na pants, suot pa raw nya yun nung kadete siya…”

The lawyer said Faeldon, who was appointed deputy administrator at the Office of Civil Defense even while in Senate detention, was also raring to report for duty.

“This is a glorious day for truth and justice, glorious day for magnanimity, glorious day for the work of the blue ribbon committee,” Diño said.

And as a “gentleman” and an officer, he said Faeldon would stay true with his promise to “fully participate” in the Senate investigation on the controversial shabu shipment.

“He’s ready to answer all the questions to the best of his knowledge. Wala s’yang tinatago, wala s’yang pagtatakpan. That’s his personal commitment as an officer and a gentleman,” Diño said.                       /kga