Jalosjos may be released Thursday - prison execs

(Update) MANILA, Philippines – Convicted rapist Romeo Jalosjos may walk out a free man from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City on Thursday, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director Oscar Calderon said Wednesday. Calderon said he already signed the release order after Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez on Tuesday gave his approval that the former Zamboanga del Norte representative may be granted “colonist status." “This morning, I issued the release order and officially by tomorrow, makaka-release na siya [he may be released] because today, he is undergoing a series of documentation," Calderon said in an interview with on QTV’s Balitanghali. In December 2008, Calderon endorsed to the Department of Justice (DOJ) Jalosjos’ request for the reconsideration of his colonist status. No turning back Superintendent Bartolome Bustamante, Calderon’s executive assistant, said that the Certificate of Discharge for Jalosjos is being readied. “Na-approve na ‘yung colonist status pero pina-process pa yung release. Under process pa, pero bukas most likely yung release. No turning back na yun [His colonist status was approved but his release is still being processed. Most likely, he may be released tomorrow. There is no turning back], “ Bustamante said in a phone interview with GMANews.TV. Bustamante said that Jalosjos had finished serving his sentence of “16 years, three months and three days" because he had accumulated Good Conduct Time Allowances (GCTA) when he was recommended by prison authorities for colonist status. Bustamante said that a colonist is an inmate “who had made significant contributions to BuCor’s rehabilitation process for other inmates while serving his sentence." Under Section 7, Part II of BuCor’s Operating Manual, one of the privileges awarded to a colonist includes “a credit of an additional GCTA of five days for each calendar month while he retains said classification aside from the regular GCTA authorized under Article 97 of the Revised Penal Code." Jalosjos, one of the high profile inmates at the NBP, had contributed to the setting-up of establishments such as a bakery inside the NBP’s Maximum Security compound. He has also brought “paralegal experts" to help inmates, Bustamante In the phone interview, Bustamante stressed that BuCor is not giving Jalosjos any special treatment and that “he is just one among the 420 inmates" who may be released for acquiring colonist status. As of this posting, Jalosjos remains detained at the NBP compound, Bartolome said. Rape case Jalosjos was accused of raping an 11-year-old girl in 1996. In 1997, a lower court found him guilty of two counts of statutory rape and six counts of acts of lasciviousness. He brought his case before the Supreme Court, but it affirmed his conviction in 2001 and 2002. Jalosjos was detained while his trial was ongoing. Even then, he managed to run for re-election and win in the 1998 and 2001 elections. He held his post until the Supreme Court upheld his conviction with finality in 2002. His name was subsequently dropped from the list of members of the House of Representatives. In its 2001 decision, the Supreme Court affirmed Jalosjos' sentence of reclusion perpetua for each count of statutory rape and an indeterminate penalty of reclusion temporal (from a minimum of 12 years and 1 day to a maximum of 15 years, 6 months and 20 days) for each count of acts of lasciviousness. The convicted congressman was also ordered to pay the victim P50,000 as civil indemnity for each count of statutory rape and acts of lasciviousness, plus moral damages also amounting to P50,000 per count. In April 2007, Malacañang acted upon the recommendation of the Department of Justice and commuted Jalosjos' sentence to 16 years, three months and three days. Jalosjos was also ordered to pay the civil indemnity and moral damages earlier imposed on him by the Supreme Court. Malacañang denied that the commutation of Jalosjos' sentence was a political accommodation. It claimed that Jalosjos' case was no different from other prisoners whose sentences are considered for commutation due to their conduct, ailing health, or advanced age. Colonist status In the statement of Jalosjos’ camp sent to media last December 2008, it said that Calderon endorsed to the DOJ Jalosjos’ request for the reconsideration of his colonist status. “The Bureau of Corrections finds merit on the request for confirmation on the colonist status of Jalosjos because he has been very exemplar as an active member of the Council of Elders at the Maximum Security Camp of the New Bilibid Prison," the statement read. “Through the active participation of his Lamb of God Foundation, which he founded, many inmates benefited from training, skills upgrading programs, moral value enhancement seminars, legal, medical and dental outreach activities," it added. - GMANews.TV