MANILA, Philippines (Update 2 , 1:51 p.m.) — The release of prisoners serving life sentences would require Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra's prior approval, he said Wednesday amid reports that release papers for rape-slay convict Antonio Sanchez had already been signed.
Guevarra on Tuesday said that Bureau of Corrections Director General Nicanor Faeldon had denied signing any release order for Sanchez, who is serving seven life sentences for the 1993 rape and homicide of UP Los Baños student Eileen Sarmenta and the killing of Allan Gomez.
In a text message to Philstar.com on Wednesday, Guevarra said a 2015 department order issued by Acting Justice Secretary Benjamin Caguioa affirmed the authority of the BuCor chief to approve the release of prisoners who have already served their sentences "BUT requiring prior approval of the SOJ in the case of prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment or reclusion perpetua."
RELATED: Two decades after conviction, Sanchez shows no remorse
In a separate message, Guevarra said he has not "received any memo seeking approval for the release of prisoners sentenced to life due to a reduced or completed service of sentence" since being appointed Justice secretary.
Guevarra, who replaced Vitaliano Aguirre II at the Department of Justice, assumed office in April 2018.
On Tuesday, Sanchez's eldest son Allan Antonio claimed that an unnamed person told the family that a release order for his father and dated August 20 was ready.
According to a report on CNN Philippines, the Sanchez family said they had gone to the New Bilibid Prison for the supposed release but were told that their father's case had been put on hold.
They also said Faeldon told them that Sanchez might be released within two months.
"Suddenly, parang nag-iba yung tema. Hinold. So, nagtataka kami bakit may release order na, hinold yung pagpapalabas ng father ko. That's a big question. Bakit?" Allan said in the CNN Philippines report.
(Suddenly, it seems the story changed. It was put on hold. So, we're wondering why when there's a release order already, my father's release was put on hold. That's a big question. Why?)
He said that it seems his father was singled out in the implementation of Republic Act 10592, which was passed in 2013 and which the Supreme Court ruled in June applies retroactively.
"Wala na ba tayong karapatan magbago? Ika nga ni Senator Bato, why don't give you him a second chance? Qualified naman siya sa batas," Allan said.
(Don't we have a right to change? Like Senator Bato [dela Rosa] said, why don't you give him a second chance? He is qualified under the law.)
Dela Rosa thinks convicted rapist and murderer Antonio Sanchez "deserves a second chance in life" for his "good behavior."
His war on drugs campaign resulted in thousands of drug suspects killed, including children and teenagers, without trial.
Story: https://t.co/FruUjKp5ZQ pic.twitter.com/5jQSRGSc8Y— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) August 22, 2019
Dela Rosa has since said that Sanchez's case shows the need for the return of the death penalty, despite the Philippines having the death penalty when the former mayor was convicted in 1995.
RELATED: Good law, bad man: RA 10592 and rape-slay convict Antonio Sanchez
Faeldon, in a press briefing on August 22, said Sanchez might not be qualified for early release for good conduct.
"He has an incident where drugs were confiscated in his cottage. Although this was dismissed by the court, but as far as the bureau is concerned that was seized from his kubol. So he’s violated that so that is also be subject to review," Faeldon stressed then.
Sanchez's potential release from prison after serving a little more than half of a 40-year sentence triggered public outrage and has led to the suspension of the implementation of the Good Conduct Time Allowance, a mechanism rewarding prisoners for good behavior by subtracting days from their time in prison. — from a report by Kristine Joy Patag