Faeldon says he won’t step down as BuCor chief

FILE: Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Nicanor Faeldon (Photo: Senate of the Philippines/Facebook)

Even amid the public’s anger over the controversial good conduct time allowance (GCTA) law, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Nicanor Faeldon believes that he should not leave his post as he is performing his job ‘well.’

Faeldon made this statement on Monday, September 2, as a response to Senator Risa Hontiveros who was grilling him during a Senate hearing on the implementation of GCTA law which shortens a convict’s jail time based on good conduct.

“Usec. Faeldon, sa mga ganitong kaliwa’t kanan na kapalpakan, pagkukulang tungkol sa GCTA, mga importante na simpleng tanong pero mahirap sagutin dito sa komite na dapat alam na alam niyo kaagad, kailan po kayo magre-resign sa inyong pwesto bilang (Undersecretary Faeldon, given these left and right failures, the deficiencies about the GCTA, important but simple questions that are hard to answer to this committee that you should know already, when will you resign from your post as) BuCor head?” Hontiveros straightforwardly asked Faeldon.

Responding to this, the BuCor chief said, “I respect the question of the honorable chair but I will defer that question to the appointing authority.” Faeldon was referring to President Rodrigo Duterte who appointed him to the position in 2018.

The senator, however, asked him again whether or not he thinks he should resign.

“I believe no ma’am,” Faeldon answered.

“You believe no? Bakit po (Why), do you believe you’re doing a good job, Usec?” Hontiveros asked, to which Faeldon answered in the affirmative.

But the lawmaker contradicted his response, saying, “So far, ‘yung lumalabas sa committee hearing na ito (What is coming out from this committee hearing) would point in the opposite direction.”

The implementation of the GCTA law became the talk of the town following media reports of the possible release of former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez, who was sentenced to seven counts of reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years imprisonment for the rape-slay of University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB) student Eileen Sarmenta, and for the murder of another UPLB student Allan Gomez.

During the hearing, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson presented an August 20 release order for Sanchez. Faeldon confirmed that it was his signature on the document but claimed that it was not a release order but only a “memorandum of release.”

“I signed a memorandum of release, starting the process of the release of any PDL (person deprived of liberty),” he said.

“That is not the release order because after my office, it goes to several other office[s] and finally it goes to the superintendent which issues the final release order of PDL. Along that process, I stopped it because I need to review again the GCTA granted to him that is after the strong objection of the legal officer that I cannot stop the release of all those PDLs,” he added.

But Lacson pointed out the paragraph four of the said document which states, “Submit report of compliance to the office of the director general of the Bureau of Corrections within five days from the actual date of release.”

“This is not a release order, still?” Lacson asked.

“Sir, as I’ve said there has never been a release order because I recalled it, the process was never completed,” Faeldon insisted.

Lacson, however, did not buy Faeldon’s statement, saying, “I will not debate with you anymore because the documents don’t lie. And you admitted already that that is your signature.”

Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo earlier told Radyo Inquirer 990 AM that despite the controversies involving Faeldon, unless the Chief Executive has not reacted on the matter, the presumption is he (Faeldon) has the trust and confidence (of the President).”