(Eagle News)–The approval of the Justice Secretary is required before an inmate who was sentenced to life imprisonment or reclusion perpetua and who has served his sentence can be released.
According to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, this is according to a department order issued by then-Justice Secretary Alfredo Caguioa in 2015.
Caguioa is now a Supreme Court justice.
According to Guevarra, the department order also affirmed the authority of the Bureau of Corrections director general to approve the release of prisoners whose sentences have expired.
These include sentences that were reduced by good conduct time allowances under Republic Act No. 10592.
Guevarra issued the clarification following the statement of Antonio Sanchez, former Calauan, Laguna mayor, that his release papers had been signed.
But according to Guevarra, BuCor director-general Nicanor Faeldon informed him he did not sign any release paper for Sanchez.
It was unclear, however, if Guevarra had signed any release paper to favor the former mayor who was convicted of killing and raping University of the Philippines Los Baños student Aileen Sarmenta, and of murdering her friend, also UPLB student Allan Gomez, in the 1990s.
The Palace has already clarified, however, that Sanchez is not eligible for early release under RA 10592, saying that the law excludes those convicted of heinous crimes, recidivists, habitual delinquents and escapees.
The possibility Sanchez would be released was reported after the Supreme Court in June ruled RA 10592 should be applied retroactively to cover inmates who were given a final judgment prior to the enactment of the law in 2013.
