Transfer surprises victims' mother

CEBU, Philippines - The mother of the Chiong sisters was surprised to receive reports that Paco Larrañaga has already left the country for Spain yesterday.

Thelma Chiong said that she was in Leyte when she received the said report that Larrañaga has already left the country. She was not even informed where Larrañaga will be incarcerated in Spain.

Chiong blamed Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo for not informing her that Larrañaga was leaving the country, saying that the DFA is the main agency that could monitor the convict because of the pending hold departure order.

Chiong said that she earlier had a talk with Department of Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera on Paco’s transfer to Spain, but it was not mentioned that it would be so soon.

Chiong said that while she couldn’t understand why the national government is facilitating the transfer, she is resigned to the likelihood of Larrañaga’s release.

“It’s a done deal, according to Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera. But she assured us that Paco will not be released from jail,” said Chiong who met with Devanadera to discuss issues about the RP-Spain Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement, a treaty that allows an exchange of Philippine and Spanish prisoners.

Chiong said details of Larrañaga’s transfer are unclear except that two Filipino detainees in Spain will be returned to the country in exchange.

Chiong said that she will be visiting Larrañaga in the Spanish prison should she have money to visit him. 

Larrañaga’s family had sought the lifting of the hold departure order issued on him since 1997.

Margarita Larrañaga, Paco’s mother, said it was the one legal impediment to his transfer to Spain. She had expressed hope that in Spain, her son would have better treatment and be allowed to resume schooling.

Paco’s mother filed a motion to lift the hold departure order issued by the court last 1997 when court proceedings began against Paco and six other men accused of raping and killing sisters Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong.

Larrañaga is one of seven scions of affluent Cebu families who were convicted and sentenced to death for the rape and murder of the sisters Jacqueline, 23, and Marijoy Chiong, 20, in Cebu City.

The others convicted were Josman Aznar, Rowen Adlawan, Alberto Cano, Ariel Balansag and the brothers James Anthony and James Andrew Uy.

The girls were seized by their captors while waiting for their father to pick them up at the Ayala Center Cebu in the evening of July 16, 1997.

Marijoy’s body was found two days later in a secluded ravine in Carcar town. Jacqueline’s body was never found.—/NLQ   (FREEMAN NEWS)