Vice President Leni Robredo is happy over the public outrage over the reported release of convicted rapist and murderer Antonio Sanchez.
In an interview in Eastern Samar Friday (August 23), Robredo said Sanchez’s possible release might have been prevented by the overwhelming negative sentiment about it.
“[N]atutuwa tayo na iyong taumbayan talagang pinarating iyong kanilang boses, kasi paano na lang kung hindi tayo nag-react? Baka nalaman na lang natin nakalabas na siya,” she said at the sideline of the turnover of a girls’ dormitory for Balangkayan National High School and Senior High School.
Sanchez, a former mayor of Calauan, Laguna, was sentenced to seven, 40-year prison sentences over the rape and killing of university student Eileen Sarmenta in 1993.
He was also found guilty of killing Sarmenta’s companion, Allan Gomez.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra earlier said Sanchez may be released soon because of a Supreme Court ruling allowing for the retroactive application of a new law for recomputing an inmate’s good conduct time allowance (GCTA).
Robredo said she was angered by the news about Sanchez’s possible release because she remembered the horrific crimes he was convicted of.
“Parang naging sariwa tuloy ulit iyong balita from many years ago, na talagang binaboy iyong dalawang estudyante. Iyong balita na pagpapalabas, parang hina-highlight ulit iyong privilege ng mayayaman saka iyong kawalan ng pribilehiyo ng mga mahihirap,” she said.
Robredo said she is relieved that Guevarra has since backtracked on his statement on Sanchez by saying that he is not eligible for release because of his involvement in illegal activities inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
The Vice President said it is clear in Republic Act 10592 that those who were convicted of heinous crimes can’t benefit from changes in inmates’ GCTA.
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This article first appeared on Politiko.
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