The good conduct time allowance (GCTA) controversy started in August 2019 involving the employees of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor). It begins with Bureau of Corrections Director General Nicanor Faeldon and several other government officials signing the document containing the release of former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez, the prime suspect in the rape and murder of Eileen Sarmenta and her friend Allan Gomez in 1993, and the release of Josman Aznar, Ariel Balansag, Alberto Caño and James Anthony Uy, the 4 suspects in the rape and murder of sisters Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong in 1997, citing "good conduct."
The aftermath of release of convicts through GCTA subsequently led to investigation regarding the GCTA and to the BuCor personnel involved in the controversy.
The Good Conduct Time Allowance bill, also known as Republic Act No. 10592, was approved by the Congress and was signed by then-President Benigno Aquino III on May 29, 2013. [1] [2]
In August 2019, news reports stated that former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez, the suspect of raping and murdering Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez in 1993, could have walked free from prison after spending 25 years in prison, [3] according to a document bearing the signature of Bureau of Corrections director Nicanor Faeldon. [4] The document said the release order was for one Antonio Leyza Sanchez, "who was found to have served 40 years upon retroactive application of RA No. 10592 and was certified to have no other legal cause to be further detained, shall be released from confinement." RA 10592 is the law allowing convicts an early release based on good conduct time allowance (GCTA). [5]
On August 22, 2019, Sanchez, wearing formal outfit, is seen walking inside the prison along with the bodyguards. [6] A social media post also claimed that Sanchez is spotted in his house in Calauan, Laguna two months ago. [7] The impending release of Sanchez sparked nationwide outrage and condemnation. Prior to the issue, questions were raised over how could he qualify for good conduct when he was caught of seizing various items inside the prison such as P1.5 million worth of methamphetamine (shabu) hidden in a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 2010 and an air-conditioning unit and flat-screen TV in 2015. [8] Despite the outrage, BuCor Director General Nicanor Faeldon has changed tune and said Sanchez may be disqualified from the good conduct and time allowance (GCTA) rule based on several grounds. [9]
On August 23, University of the Philippines Los Baños, the alma mater of Sarmenta and Gomez, held a rally to oppose the Sanchez's release. Among there present is the mother of Allan Gomez. Despite the Duterte administration denies the role of Sanchez release, [10] [11] Duterte's name can be seen written on their placards. [12] The Supreme Court of the Philippines (SC), in a statement by spokesperson Brian Hosaka, denied ordering the release of Sanchez when it ruled on the retroactive application of RA 10592. [13] Sanchez has maintained his innocence for the 1993 rape-slay of Sarmenta and the murder of Gomez and said he deserved to be freed. [14] On August 26, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and Bureau of Corrections chief Nicanor Faeldon not to release convicted rapist-murderer Antonio Sanchez. [15]
Iluminada Gomez (The Mother of Allan Gomez) Said That The Gomez Family & The Sarmenta Family Has Read The Long Lost Paper That Contains The Letter of Former President Fidel Ramos That Written in August 1993 When He Was Condoling With Them Along With His Promise That The Government Would Do Anything To Give Financial Assistance to Them & Other Needs Mostly,Justice to Their Childrens & Holding Those Persons Accountable For The Double Murder of The Both 2 UP Los Baños Students in Which Mrs. Gomez Shown to The GMA News in August 2019.
On September 2, 2019, The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee holds a joint probe into the supposed early release of rape and murder convict Former Mayor Antonio Sanchez and the controversial Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) Law. [16] Bureau of Corrections chief Nicanor Faeldon confirms that George Medialdea, Rogelio Corcolon and Zoilo Ama, the three men who were convicted for the June 1993 rape and killing of Sarmenta and Gomez were already dead in jail. [17] Senator Risa Hontiveros said that there are indications of GCTA system "is being corrupted" like the case of Sanchez. [18]
On September 3, 2019, The family of rape and murder convict and former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez showed up at the Senate for the resumption of the probe into the controversy surrounding the possible release of their patriarch. [19] The Sanchez family has maintain their intention that they will not pay the ₱12.6-million court-mandated damages to the families of Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez who were murdered in 1993. [20] Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP) executive director Reynaldo Bayang revealed in a Senate inquiry that Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, who served as Sanchez's defense counsel in the high-profile 1993 Sarmenta-Gomez rape-slay case, wrote the BPP regarding Sanchez's application for executive clemency in a letter dated February 26. [21] Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo has confirmed a meeting with the family of his former client, convicted rapist-killer Antonio Sanchez, in Malacañang earlier this year. [22] President Rodrigo Duterte has fired Bureau of Corrections chief Nicanor Faeldon after the latter approved the release of Sanchez. [23] [24]
On August 30, 2019, Senator Panfilo Lacson stated that some of the convicts of the 1997 murder of the Chiong sisters are now out of prison. [25] Faeldon has confirmed the release of Josman Aznar, Ariel Balansag, Alberto Caño and James Anthony Uy, the four persons who were convicted for the 1997 murder of the Chiong sisters. [26] On September 4, President Rodrigo Duterte has fired Bureau of Corrections chief Nicanor Faeldon after the latter approved the release of three convicts in the murder case. [23] [24] On September 5, Chiong sisters' parents has called Duterte to return the three convicts back to prison. [27] Eventually, the Chiong sisters' parents thanked to the President when the news of Duterte announcing that surrender of the released convicts for good conduct. [27] The parents are also called for the investigation of Faeldon for his actions, [27] in which Faeldon would be fired from his post by President Duterte. [28]
On September 6, Ariel Balansag and Alberto Caño, the two of the three convicts of the Chiong sisters rape-slay case, who were released by virtue of the controversial Good Conduct Time Allowance Law, has been surrendered to the authorities. [29] [30] [31] On September 18, James Anthony Uy and Josman Aznar, the last two of the four convicts of the Chiong sisters rape-slay case, has finally surrendered to the authorities. [32]
The GCTA would also play a role in a different case several years later, as lawyer Rowena Garcia-Flores filed an urgent motion to the Olongapo City Regional Trial Court Branch 74 in late August 2020, requesting the release of Joseph Scott Pemberton, a US Marine convicted in the homicide of Filipino national Jennifer Laude in 2014. The grounds of the urgent motion stated that Pemberton should have been released from prison on July 31, 2020, after serving more than half of his 10-year sentence for displaying good conduct. This basis was provided by computations done by the BuCor, showing that the former US Marine has served a total sentence of eight years and ten months. In addition to this, Flores also stated that the BuCor did not give Pemberton any good conduct time allowances (GCTA) for over a year from October 22, 2014, to November 2015, stating that Pemberton did not receive any GCTA credits for the actual time he served from October 22 to December 18 in 2014, and for the months of June and July in 2020. However, the Laude family is opposed to the early release of Pemberton, stating that Pemberton was placed under solitary confinement, which does not count towards GCTA accreditation, and thus could not reasonably and justifiably claim good conduct. [33]
Aside from the Laude family, the pardon sparked outrage in the LGBT community, [34] as well as high-profile personalities from senators [35] to celebrities. [36] The hashtag #JusticeForJenniferLaude landed on the top trending spot in social media, where majority of the posts were critical of Duterte. [37] Despite this, President Rodrigo Duterte officially gave Pemberton an absolute pardon on September 7, 2020. [38] On September 11, 2020, several LGBT communities held a rally to protest Duterte's absolute of pardon of Joseph Scott Pemberton. [39]
Faeldon confirmed that at least 200 convicts have been released since June 2019. [18] The data from BuCor showed that out of total 22,049 prisoners were freed since 2014 due to good conduct, there 1,914 prisoners who were convicted with heinous crimes have been released. [40] [41] On September 4, 2019, Duterte ordered all 1,914 convicts to surrender themselves, giving an ultimatum of 15 days, otherwise the police will hunt them down. [42] [43] On September 10, the police reported that 180 convicts who were released based on the good conduct have been surrendered. [44] On September 17, Duterte has offered a reward of P1 million to those who could capture the freed convicts "dead or alive". [45]
On September 20, the DOJ ordered to stop the re-arrests of freed convicts after discovering the errors on the list submitted to the BuCor. [46] Over 2,000 convicts have voluntarily surrendered to the government out of listed 1,914 individuals. Explaining the erroneous data, Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said that 41 of whom "were freed with no legal obstacle" or not via GCTA. [47] The record also shows that 354 inmates were released under the Aquino administration while 1,429 inmates under the Duterte administration. [48]
On September 6, an inmate's wife named Yolanda Camilon claimed that she was asked by BuCor employees a P50,000 in exchange for her husband's release from prison. [49] On September 19, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Officer 3 Veronica Buño revealed that she exchanged conversation with Camilon via text messaging. [50]
On September 9, Ombudsman Samuel Martires suspended BuCor officials for a period of six months. [51]
On September 4, 2019, Duterte fired Faeldon from his duty for his actions. [52] He was replaced by former Manila jail warden Gerald Bantag. [53] On September 18, Senator Leila de Lima said that the agency needs a real leader who can fight against corruption. [54]
The Chiong murder case was a trial regarding an incident on July 16, 1997, in Cebu City, in which sisters Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong were kidnapped, raped, and murdered.
Antonio Leyza Sanchez was a Filipino politician who served as mayor of Calauan, Laguna from 1980 to 1986 and from 1988 to 1993. He is the convicted mastermind in the murders of Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez, both students of the University of the Philippines, Los Baños (UPLB), in 1993.
Ferdinand Hipolito Navarro, known professionally as Vhong Navarro, is a Filipino comedian, actor, dancer, recording artist and television host. He is known for his iconic comedic roles in Agent X44, Mr. Suave, and Spider-Man parody film Gagamboy. He is a regular host on ABS-CBN's noontime variety show It's Showtime. He was also part of the dance group Streetboys alongside fellow It's Showtime host Jhong Hilario.
Nicanor Escalona Faeldon is a Filipino former Marine who served as the director-general of the Bureau of Corrections under the Duterte administration from November 21, 2018, until he was fired in September 2019. He served as Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs from June 30, 2016, to August 21, 2017. He was a captain in the Philippine Marines who gained national and international attention when he participated as one of the alleged leaders of the incident known as the Oakwood mutiny in 2003.
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1993 in the Philippines details events of note that happened in the Philippines in the year 1993.
On October 11, 2014, Jennifer Laude, a Filipina trans woman, was killed by Joseph Scott Pemberton, a Lance Corporal in the United States Marine Corps in Olongapo, Philippines. Pemberton admitted assaulting Laude and deployed a trans panic defense in his 2015 trial. His charge was downgraded from murder to homicide by a judge in 2015, and he was convicted on December 1, 2015. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte granted an absolute pardon to Pemberton in September 2020.
The murders of Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez occurred on June 28, 1993 in Calauan, Laguna, Philippines. The case involved police personnel and the late Antonio Sanchez, the former mayor of Calauan, who were tried and convicted of the crime. Sanchez was accused of masterminding the abduction of Sarmenta and her companion, Gomez, and the subsequent rape and murder of Sarmenta and the torture and murder of Gomez. The victims were both students of the University of the Philippines, Los Baños (UPLB).
Vitaliano "Vit" Napeñas Aguirre II is a Filipino lawyer serving as a commissioner of the National Police Commission from January 11, 2021 to June 30, 2022. He previously served as Secretary of Justice under the Duterte administration from 2016 until his resignation in 2018, and vice president and chief legal counsel of Clark Development Corporation under former President Benigno Aquino III. He gained wide public attention in 2012 during the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona when he was cited for contempt after he was caught covering his ears while being lectured by the late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago.
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