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Monday, December 24, 2007
Jalosjos back in jail; cries arrest illegal
DAPITAN CITY -- A day after he arrived back home in Dapitan, convicted child rapist Romeo Jalosjos was escorted to the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City.
A police team led by Zamboanga Peninsula Police Director Jaime Caringal escorted the former congressman to the penal facility, even as Jalosjos threatened to sue them for the "illegal arrest".
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Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez on Sunday said Bureau of Corrections Director Ricardo Dapat should answer for the release of the ex-congressman last Saturday, despite orders to halt his discharge, pending a review of his prison records.
Presidential Legal Counsel Sergio Antonio Apostol said it would be up to Gonzalez to take the necessary actions.
He reiterated that Jalosjos was not given any pardon by Malacañang, and that what the President earlier granted was a commutation of his two life sentences to 16 years in prison.
Jalosjos was convicted of two counts of statutory rape in 1997 and six counts of acts of lasciviousness. His victim was an 11-year-old girl.
Jail officials initially gave him a release order after his 16-year term ended this month, but the Justice Department blocked the release order.
Jalosjos flew to Dapitan Saturday where he was welcomed by his former constituents, but was arrested again early Sunday morning. He was brought to Zamboanga City for custody.
"We have done our part. We have taken him back into government custody," said PNP Director General Avelino Razon, who described Jalosjos as "technically, an escaped felon."
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the justice department is investigating how Jalosjos managed to leave the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa despite the cancelled release order.
Illegal arrest
Jalosjos' lawyer, Alfredo Jimenez, questioned the absence of a written order for his client's arrest and said they will press charges against those behind the "illegal" operation.
Another Jalosjos lawyer, Flavio Cordero Jr., said Jalosjos certificate of discharge from prison is legal since there was no revocation order issued after it.
"We only heard about the revocation of the certificate of discharge from Director Caringal but he was not able to present to us a copy," Cordero said.
Jalosjos was transported around 4:50 a.m. Sunday from this city to Zamboanga City by a police convoy headed by Caringal.
His brother and sister, who are both Zamboanga del Norte lawmakers, three lawyers and a physician, accompanied Jalosjos.
Jalosjos's daughter, Svetlana Jalosjos, voiced distress over her father's situation.
"I would appeal for truth, consistency, transparency for all decisions that are made. I have faith that is the time that truth will prevail, we would understand the bigger picture," she said.
As of Sunday afternoon, Cordero received a text message from his co-lawyers that Jalosjos may be detained at the San Ramon Prison and Penal Colony located west of Zamboanga City.
Like the National Bilibid Prison, where he came from, San Ramon Prison and Penal Colony located in Zamboanga City is also under the Department of Justice.
Tight security
Security has been tightened for Jalosjos at the Zamboanga Penal Colony where he will be temporarily stay, with police from the Western Mindanao Regional Police force deployed to the prison compound to guard him.
Gonzalez said Jalosjos will stay at the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm "until further orders" from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Gonzalez also ordered the investigation into the circumstances of Jalosjos' "escape" last Saturday afternoon from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.
Without going into details, Gonzalez said the DOJ would place prison personnel under investigation.
"They will all be investigated. Give us time to investigate. He had just recently escaped," Gonzalez said.
For his part, Justice Undersecretary Felix Exconde admitted that Jalosjos had indeed "escaped."
But, he stressed that Jalosjos had escaped unilaterally or "on his own."
"He went home alone. He had no authority to go home. It was unilateral. It was on his own," said Exconde. (JMR/Bong Garcia/Richel Umel/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (December 24, 2007 issue)
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