Larrañaga's transfer ‘in danger’ of SC overrule

There is still chance to stop the impending transfer of rape-slay convict Juan Francisco “Paco" Larrañaga to Spain, and that is if the Supreme Court would overrule the decision of the justice department, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago said on Wednesday. “The procedure that was followed, since it did not include a public hearing with notice to the other party or adverse party, is in danger of being overruled by the SC," Santiago said. Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera admitted that they did not conduct a public hearing with regards to Larrañaga’s transfer, saying it is not a requirement under the RP-Spain Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement Treaty. Larrañaga, a great grandson of President Sergio Osmeña Sr., was among those convicted for the kidnapping, rape and murder of sisters Jacqueline and Marijoy Chiong on July 16, 1997 in Cebu. Thelma Chiong, the mother of the victims, said she was shocked over the DOJ’s sudden approval of the transfer of Larrañaga. She said she was not even informed about it. Santiago, a former regional trial court judge, said to avoid a “possible embarrassment," the DOJ should issue the implementing rules and regulation (IRR) of the treaty, which would include a public hearing where the adverse party would be notified. It was Santiago, chairman of the Senate committee on foreign affairs, who sponsored and defended the treaty on the floor in 2007. She refused to comment if what the DOJ did was illegal. She said the absence of an IRR could be because the DOJ had not followed any procedure in allowing Larrañaga’s transfer. “They just said ‘we looked at the treaty, and he (Larranaga) had complied with the minimum qualifications, so we decided to grant the petition for transfer’," she said. - GMANews.TV