Rapist mayor asks Duterte aide’s help for clemency

MANILA: The assistance of a close aide of President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte was sought by the family of a mayor serving seven life sentences for the rape and murder of two students in 1993 in his application for executive clemency.

An official of the Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP) confirmed on Tuesday that the assistance of Salvador Panelo, the presidential spokesman, was sought by the family of Antonio Sanchez, the former mayor of the town of Calauan, Laguna province in Southern Luzon who was convicted in 1995 for the rape and murder of two students.

Reynaldo Bayang, the BPP director, told the Senate Blue Ribbon Commitee that they have in their file a leter addressed to Panelo by the Sanchez family in connection with the mayor’s petition for clemency.

In turn, Bayang said Panelo referrred the letter to the BPP which was among several leters from several incumbent and former government officials as well as prominent personalities including former first lady Imelda Marcos and retired Supreme Court justice Arturo Brion for the granting of clemency to Brion.

Inastatement,panelo,alsothechiefpresidential legal counsel, admited that he received a leter from the Sanchez family seeking his assistance and that he referred it to the BPP but he pointed out that it was not a recommendation.

Significantly, Panelo served as a member of the Sanchez defense panel when he was convicted but on Tuesday, he said: “There is no part of this representation’s official communication asking for intercession,” the referral leter read.

However, Bayang also made it clear that the BPP unanimously turned down the Sanchez petition as well as subsequent petitions for the board to reconsider its earlier rejection for lack of merit.

The Senate commitee, chaired by Senator Richard Gordon, resumed its hearing on Tuesday and heard the testimonies of Bayang and members of the Sanchez family including his wife and their children. The hearing was being heard amid a grim background of widespread anger, indignation and protests over the decision of Nicanor Faeldon, the chief of the Bureau of Corredtions (Bucor) to release Sanchez for “good behavior.”