WEDN ESDAY SEPTEMBER 4, 2OL9
]FAEIDON MADF A MESS OF'GOOD
CONDUCT'LAUIIF GORDON
' .ti
By Macon.Ra mos-Arah:€tEl
,SENATE Blue Ribbon commitrtee,chair-
man Senator Richaid Gordorr on Tues-
day said he believed Bureau'of Correc-
tions chief Nicanor Faeldon was lying
to Presidential Chief L,egal Counsel
Salvador Panelo. and creatld the mess
involving the early releaselof prisoners
corrvicted of heinous crimes'
After two hearings, Gordon said Fael-
don was not credible be"uut. ltis testimo-
ny was full of inconiistencies, and offered
t'weak" excuses in abid to save himself.
Faeldon...
FromAI
it vests too much power in the hands of
prison officials. He also pointed to the
absence of,checks and balances.
Meanwhile, lawmakers said they
would consider filing criminal and
administrative charges against Faeldon,
after learning that he instructed officials
at the Davao Penal Farm not to submit
GCTA records of convicts applying for
ear$ release to the Justice dbpartment.
The House of Representatives'
committee on justice, chaired by Leyte
Rep. Vicente Veloso, conducted an
inquiry in aid of legislation into the
controversy hounding the BuCor.
Supt. Melencio Faustino, head of the
Davao ?enat Farm, adntitted he did
not submit the records to the Justice
department even though he was required
to do so.
When asked why he did not, he said
Faeldon had told him not to do so.
Veloso, a retired assoqiate justice
of the Court of Appeals, said his
committee may recommend the filing
ofgraft charges against Faeldon.
Gordon said "it's possible" that mon-
ey was offered for the ear$ release of
Sanchez, which was scuttled by public
outrage.
It was likely that Faeldon had intended
to release Sanchez but backtracked after
news of it broke and sparked a public
outcry.
He said he believed that Faeldon could
be charged with malfeasance for neglect
ofduty.
At the same time, Gordon said the
GCTA Law should be amended because
Nertpoge
Veloso said the GCTA Law in light
of the Sanchez's controversy requires
a6ngndments to plug lciopholes thathave
resulted in the early release from prison
lof convicts facing sliff prison terms for
heinous crimes.
Presidential SPokesman Salvador
' Panelo said President Rodrigo Duterte
would declde on Faeldon's fate after the
congressional hearings are done.
"The President will maintain the status
quo until the congressional hearings are
concluded," Panelo said in a statement.
"He will be monitoring the conduct
of the legislative investigation and give
appropriate consideration to the findings
of Congress," he added'
On Monday, the Senate held its first
hearing on the GCTA Law.
Faeldon admitted that he set in motiort
the process of releasing the convicted
rapist-murderer, former Calauan Mayor
Antonio Sanchez , but insisted that he
did not sign the release order.
The process was stopped by the public
outcry over Sanchez's possible release.
Faeldon said he PersonallY did not
want Sanchez to be released but was
only following the GCTA guidelines'
With PNA