Convicts in Chiong sisters’ 1997 rape-slay released, Lacson says
MANILA, Philippines — Convicts in the rape-slay of the Chiong sisters were among those recently released from prison, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Friday.
“Na-release na rin yan pero ang nakapirma roon iba. Hindi mismong si [BuCor chief] Nicanor Faeldon ang nakapirma. Ang balita ko a certain Marquez ang nagpirma roon. Pero ang may authority magpirma ng release order ay ang director ng BuCor,” Lacson said in an interview with DZBB radio.
(They were freed but a different person signed the release documents. It was not Nicanor Faeldon who signed it. I heard a certain Marquez signed it. But the one who has authority to sign the release order is the BuCor director.)
“Ngayon kung sino man ang pipirma na underling, subaltern or sinumang assistant doon, ang ultimate responsibility pa rin, ang director. So yan dapat natin malaman kasi ang balita sa Chiong sisters, ang respondents doon, hindi mismo ang director nakapirma kundi pinapirma sa iba,” he added.
“Now, whoever that underling, subaltern or assistant that will sign, the ultimate responsibility still belongs to the director. That’s what we need to know because I heard on the case of Chiong sisters, the respondents there, it was not the director who signed the release order.)
The Chiong sisters, Marijoy and Jacqueline, were allegedly kidnapped, raped and in Marijoy’s case, killed in Cebu City in 1997.
Only Marijoy's body was allegedly recovered by the authorities.
Seven men dubbed as the “Chiong Seven” were imprisoned for the case. Most of them were from prominent families in Cebu City.
The accused are: Francisco Juan “Paco” Larañaga, Jozman Aznar, Rowen Wesley Adlawan, Alberto Allan "Pahak" Cano, Ariel Balansag, James Andrew "MM" Uy and James Anthony Uy.
The alleged mastermind of the crime was Spanish-Filipino Larrañaga, who happens to be the great-grandson of Sergio Osmeña Sr.
Last Thursday, Lacson said at least four Chinese nationals convicted of drug charges were released from the New Bilibid Prison in June this year. Lacson did not say if the four Chinese nationals were released because of the controversial Republic Act 10952 or the Good Conduct Time Allowance Law.
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