Jalosjos: No need to say I’m sorry

MANILA, Philippines - It is unlikely that she would hear her attacker saying sorry to her. Convicted rapist Romeo Jalosjos on Thursday said verbalizing his apology to the woman he assaulted 13 years ago would no longer be necessary. "Hindi na kailangan ang word na 'tawad' ay marinig. (Ang) importante yung transformation na nakikita niya dahil sa pagsisisi," Jalosjos said in a radio interview on Thursday. [It’s no longer necessary to hear the word sorry. What is important is the transformation that she sees because of remorse.] "Hindi (na)…kinakailangan dapat sabihin niya yung word ‘ako'y nagsisi,’ madali ho yun kung 'yun lang ang gustong pakinggan nila. Ngunit sa akin hindi sapat eh. Dapat talaga makita ang buong transformation ng pagkatao ng isang tao," he added. [It’s no longer necessary to say the words that I am regretting what I did, it’s easy to say that if that is what people like to hear. But for me, it’s not enough. What is important is to see the full transformation of a person.] The former congressman of Zamboanga del Norte also relayed his message to the victim's lawyers that he was no longer mad at them. Jalosjos said that he was even thankful to them for becoming the "instruments" in making him realize his real mission from God. "As a matter of fact nakatulong ‘yon sa transformation ko. Nagkumbinse sa akin ngayon na (ako’y) may misyon. May ibig ipagawa sa akin ang ating Panginoon at sila'y ginamit lamang na instrumento, including the complainant. Instrumento lang sila, hindi ako pwedeng magalit sa kanila," he said. [As a matter of fact they contributed to my transformation. I am convinced that I have a mission. God wants me to do something and they were only used as instruments, including the complainant. They are just instruments. I cannot get mad at them.] Jalosjos said his mission was to uplift the lives of the inmates’ families whom he said suffer greatly because of their loved ones’ incarceration. He also told his inmates at the National Bilibid Prison not to feel bad because he would go back in Manila to help them after his two-week stay in his hometown in Zambonga Sibugay. - GMANews.TV