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By Jomar Canlas, Reporter
Authorities seem to be at a loss about what to
do with convicted rapist Romeo Jalosjos, as the Department of
Justice on Monday threatened to revoke his privileges for
“escaping” from the national penitentiary.
Jalosjos was also threatened with a longer jail
term, but the Justice department had made no decision as of press
time.
Jalosjos, a former Zamboanga del Norte
congressman, remains in his home province after flying there from
Manila on Saturday. The Department of Justice said his release was
not authorized, and that he had actually escaped.
The camp of Jalosjos disagrees, and insists the
release was legal. They were also complaining that the former
congressman was arrested Sunday without a warrant. They were to
attend a hearing Monday afternoon, when they were expected to
complain about the arrest.
On Monday, the brother of the former
congressman, Dapitan Mayor Dominador Jalosjos, on dzRH radio said
Romeo Jalosjos has documents proving his release is legal. But the
mayor admitted that the documents did not bear the signatures of
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez or of President Gloria Arroyo.
On Monday, Gonzalez said the privileges Jalosjos
is receiving, such as use of cellular phones and use of living
quarters outside his cell, can be recalled any time.
“[Although] he is now a minimum-term prisoner,
we are thinking if we can recall the privileges he is getting,” he
added.
Meanwhile, Jalosjos remains in detention, the
secretary said on Monday. He had the former congressman detained at
the Zamboanga Penal Colony on Sunday, as Gonzalez ordered an
investigation on how he got out of the New Bilibid Prison in
Muntinlupa City (Metro Manila).
Gonzalez said he wants to know the persons
responsible for the incident. The probe he ordered is expected to
focus on Bureau of Corrections chief Ricardo Dapat, who has command
responsibility of the national penitentiary.
“We have to go to the so-called command
responsibility,” Gonzalez said. “As I was saying, the issue here
is the wrong computation of time [by] the administrative office.”
Gonzalez was referring to Jalosjos’ Good
Conduct Time Allowance. Jalosjos contends his time served plus time
earned for good conduct—planting trees and counseling
prisoners—are enough for him to be freed. The Justice department
disagrees, and the issue is pending at the Board of Pardons and
Parole.
In 1997, Jalosjos was convicted of two counts of
statutory rape and six counts of acts of lasciviousness and was
sentenced to two life terms. The victim was 11 years old when she
was raped.
He was able to sit in Congress while in jail,
and the House of Representatives allowed him to remain in office
even while under detention in the 10th, 11th and early part of the
12th Congresses. Jalosjos was dropped from the roster of Congress
when the Supreme Court affirmed his conviction in 2002.
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