"Pardon me?"
"Pardon me?"
The biggest news story of the week is the possible release of former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez along with thousands of other inmates to be pardoned by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Sanchez was convicted of the murder of Alan Gomez and the rape-slay of Eileen Sarmenta in 1993. The decision was penned by then Judge Harriet Demetriou. Details of the grisly and gruesome crime of the two UP Los Baños students came out during the trial and turned the stomach of the public.
Foremost of those opposing Sanchez’s release are the parents of Eileen Sarmenta. They claim Sanchez has shown no remorse for his dastardly deed. Eileen, according to court records, was raped by Sanchez who then told his police bodyguards “There, I’m done with her, She’s all yours.” The mayor’s men continued to waylay the helpless victim while the others tortured and killed her boyfriend.
The two victims were snatched at the UP Los Baños ground and brought to the mayor’s safehouse deep in the woods.
The presiding judge in the case, Harriet Demetriou, rose to prominence while Sanchez’s lawyer—Salvador Panelo—went on to become presidential spokesman.
Panelo dismisses any insinuations he has a hand in the inclusion of his former client among the 10,000 to be given presidential pardon.
I am not related nor know any of the players in this sensational case. But I am against a presidential pardon for Sanchez as his crime involved the use of superior force, grave abuse of power in snuffing out the lives of two young students who had a bright future ahead of them.
For the record, Sanchez has only served 25 years of his life sentence. This case has ignited again the call for capital punishment.
The Sarmenta rape-slay also brings to mind the execution by electric chair of the four men found guilty by Judge Lourdes San Diego in the kidnap-rape of actress Maggie dela Riva.
Perhaps it’s really time to bring back the death penalty to put the fear of God on those who might commit heinous crimes especially against women.
“Good behavior.” This is supposedly the basis for Sanchez’s pending pardon. This is a man awash in cash from years as Calauan mayor. It is easy to pay off fellow prisoners, jail guards and wardens to get a certificate of good behavior. The Department of Justice must really review the pardon papers of Sanchez.
Pardon? What about the grief of the victims’ parents who suffered pain and emotional stress from the loss of their loved ones? There are no words to describe what they must have gone through.
Among those demanding a DOJ review of Sanchez’s pardon is Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon. Meanwhile, there is only deafening silence on the part of administration senators.
Panelo came out with a statement that any appeal by the Sarmenta family to block the pardon of Sanchez is now too late. The man does not know when there is a time to be silent and let events speak for themselves. Being presidential spokesman does not give him license to talk on anything—especially nonsense.
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I would like to devote space to the passing of former Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Regina Paz Lopez, more famous as Gina Lopez. The maverick environmental warrior took on big mining business in her campaign to save the environment. For her unflinching stand against environment predators, she failed to gain the approval of the bicameral Commission on Appointments for her confirmation as DENR secretary.
The ABS-CBN family of workers and colleagues paid tribute to Gina’s work, albeit too late in the day when she was up against the CA. As usual, torrents of tribute pour in upon one’s demise and not during one’s lifetime when it could serve better.
