Robredo: Prison was Sanchez's opportunity to reform

MANILA, Philippines— Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday joined her voice to opposition to the potential release of convicted rapist and murderer Antonio Sanchez, a release that the Palace has assured the public will not happen.

For Robredo, Sanchez, who was convicted for the rape-slay of University of the Philippines Los Baños student Mary Eileen Sarmenta and the killing of her boyfriend Allan Gomez in 1993, “is not eligible to be given second chance.”

“Talagang naniniwala ako na dapat binibigyan ng second chance iyong mga nagkasala. Pero ito, gaya nitong kaso ni Mayor Sanchez, hindi naman ito eligible bigyan ng second chance kasi iyong pagkakulong sa kaniya, iyon na iyong chance niyang mag-reform, ‘di ba?” Robredo said.

(I truly believe that those who break the law should be given a chance. But in the case of Mayor Sanchez, he’s not eligible to be given second chance because his sentence is his chance to reform, right?)

Robredo pointed out that Sanchez, a former mayor of Calauan, Laguna, commited other violations while in prison.

Last week, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevara said Sanchez, who was sentenced in 1995 to seven life terms, may walk free soon for good conduct while incarcerated.

Guevarra said that around 11,000 will benefit from Republic Act No. 10592, a law increasing the Good Conduct Time Allowance for inmates.

Sanchez's potential release was met with opposition on social media and from government officials.

The vice president said that Sanchez’s case—he was convicted and sentenced while the Philippines had a death penalty but was given a life sentence—shows the death penalty should not be revived.

"Iyong mga mahihirap na walang… walang means para kumuha noong mga mahuhusay na abogado, sila na naman iyong lugi," Robredo said.

(The poor, those who don’t have means to get a good lawyer, are at a disadvantage)

Bato sees need to pass death penalty bill

Amid the looming release of the 11,000 inmates, Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, who initially said Sanchez “should be given a second chance,” stressed the need to pass the law on death penalty.

Dela Rosa said the pending release of these inmates, especially those who were convicted for heinous crimes, could be stopped if the country had a death penalty.

"Kung sa akin lang kung ganyan ka-heinous ang krimen na ginawa niya (Sanchez) dapat binitay na siya noon diba, kung may death penalty na noon nabitay na yan... pero wala tayong magawa,” Dela Rosa said last Thursday.

(For me, if the crime is as heinous as that, he should’ve been executed before, right, if we have death penalthy before, he was already executed…but we can’t do anything)

The Philippines had the death penalty from 1993 to 2006, although executions were only resumed in 1999.

“Don't get me wrong, I'm just on the side of the law. Nandyan ‘yang batas (RA 10592) na yan, dapat respetuhin natin, sundin natin, (The law is already there, we should respect it and follow it)" Dela Rosa said.

Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo and Sen. Christopher Go said President Rodrigo Duterte also opposes Sanchez's release.

Go said Duterte ordered the DOJ and the Bureau of Corrections to reject the release of Sanchez.

Both said those convicted of heinous crimes do not qualify for Good Conduct Time Allowance.

Guevarra denied receiving an order but said the Palace asked him to put Sanchez's case on hold.

The DOJ is set to review the guidelines on how the Good Conduct Time Allowance is computed and implemented.

READ: Sanchez's case, GCTA implementation under review

— Rosette Adel