MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte sees nothing wrong with the move of his spokesperson and chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo to refer the request of Antonio Sanchez’s family for clemency.
Panelo drew criticisms after a Board of Pardon and Parole (BPP) official revealed that Panelo referred the request of Marie Antonelvie Sanchez – the daughter of Sanchez – for executive clemency.
This sparked questions on conflict of interest on the part of Panelo as he was the defense lawyer of Sanchez when the latter was sentenced to seven terms of reclusion perpetua for the murder and rape of Eileen Sarmento and the murder of her friend Allan Gomez.
But Duterte on Wednesday night cleared Panelo of alleged “conflict of interest,” saying he did not commit any wrongdoing in referring the letter of Sanchez’s family.
“Eh kung sabihin nanghingi ng tulong kasi abogado siya noon, ano bang masama niyan?” he asked.
What would have been wrong, Duterte said, was if Panelo handled Sanchez’s plea for the recommendation of their application.
“Ngayon kung sabihin mo, ‘Sige, lakarin natin ‘to. Meron kayong pera? Marami pang naiwan sa jueteng ninyo.’ Well, but Panelo is not that kind of guy. Kaya sabi ko I can vouch for his character. I will have to stand by him because it is really the truth and he did what was — or what is right,” he said.
Panelo earlier insisted that he did not intervene in Sanchez’s case and he only followed the standard procedure when he referred the family’s letter sent last February.
The BPP denied Sanchez’s request for clemency after Panelo wrote the referral. RRD (with details from Correspondent Rosalie Coz)
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