Guevarra says Palace to hold processing of Sanchez’s case

August 26, 2019

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Monday Malacanang requested to hold processing of former Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez good conduct time allowance pending review of factual and legal issues.

"The request that I received from Malacañang was to hold the processing of Mayor Sanchez's case until all the factual and legal issues have been fully threshed out," said Guevarra.

Last week, Senator Bong Go said President Rodrigo Duterte had ordered Guevarra and Bureau of Corrections Director General Nicanor Faeldon not to release Sanchez, who was convicted for the rape-slay of University of the Philippines student Eileen Sarmenta and the murder of her boyfriend Allan Gomez in 1993.

Sanchez was sentenced to suffer imprisonment of seven counts of reclusion perpetua, or 40 years in prison in 1995 for the rape with homicide case.

Sanchez is not entitled to early release from prison under Republic Act No. 10592, which expands good conduct time allowances ( GCTA) because he was convicted of a heinous crime, the Palace said.

The justice department is planning to temporarily suspend  processing of GCTAs to inmates until implementing rules and regulation governing the implementation of the new GCTA law are finalized. DMS