JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra and an official of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) threw blame at each other during a Senate inquiry on the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) law on Monday, September 2, over the release of five Chinese drug lords.
During the said hearing, Senator Panfilo Lacson asked who signed the release order of Chinese drug convicts, identified as Chan Chit Yue, Kin San Ho, Ching Che and Wu Hing Sum in the last two months.
He said another convicted drug lord, Wai Pang, was also released and was turned over to the Bureau of Immigration pending his deportation.
Bureau of Corrections Regional Superintendent Melencio Faustino showed an endorsement letter supposedly from Guevarra approving the release of the Chinese drug lords.
He said he issued the discharge of the Chinese nationals on April 3, pursuant to the said order.
Guevarra, however, denied approving the release.
BuCor Director General Nicanor Faeldon said at least 105 drug convicts were released from the national penitentiary from 2014 to 2016 while 48 were released through the GCTA and special time allowance rule, which reduces a prisoner’s sentence based on good behavior.
Lacson first revealed the release of the identified Chinese drug convicts.
The DOJ, however, put their deportation order on hold due to the controversy over GCTA following the report on the impending release of former Calauan Laguna mayor Antonio Sanchez.
Sanchez was convicted of seven counts of rape and two counts of murder.
Lacson also said a convicted drug lord was released from Davao Penal Colony and two more convicted drug lords from Palawan jail.
Guevarra said he was “not sure” if the freed Chinese drug convicts can still be brought back to jail while the GCTA rules are being reviewed.
Meantime, Senator Richard Gordon said Faeldon, a presidential appointee, failed President Rodrigo Duterte when he allowed the release of the convicted drug lords.
“Ang laki ng tiwala sa 'yo ng Pangulong Duterte. Hindi ka ba tumalikod sa tiwala sa 'yo ni President Duterte kung papalayain mo ang mga drug pushers na ito, ipapadala mo sa Immigration, ikaw ang pumirma. Kahit na sabihin mo pang nangongonsulta ka, the buck stops with you,” Gordon said.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) earlier slammed the release of the Chinese drug lords who were sentenced to life imprisonment for the sale, administration, dispensation, delivery, transportation, manufacturing and distribution of illegal drugs in violation of Dangerous Drugs Act.
In a press conference in Camp Crame, PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde cited cases and reports of convicted drug lords still involved in the illegal drug trade while inside the jail.
“Kung talagang pasok sila doon sa GCTA na sinasabi then wala tayong magagawa but then again kailangan din naman natin tingnan kung ang mga taong ito while they are in jail, in detention sila pa rin naman nag-kokontrol ng ano (illegal drugs trade), alam naman natin lahat yan na there are instances, incidents or cases wherein sila ang nagco-control ng drug trade even sa labas or even na nandun sa loob,” he said.
“Bigyan mo lang ng cellphone makapag-ikot na sila. Through cellphone lang kaya na nilang mag-initiate ng mga trade outside. So how can they be given GCTA kung sila mismo doon sa loob involved pa din sa drugs? Paglabas pa nila lalo na so we should really be careful dito in validating the conduct of these people,” he added. (SunStar Philippines)