MANILA, Philippines – Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo confirmed on Thursday, September 5, that members of the family of rape-slay convict Antonio Sanchez  went to his office thrice to seek his help in their executive clemency bid for Sanchez.

Panelo confirmed this in a Palace news briefing, where Malacañang reporters told him  that guest logbooks at the New Executive Building, where his office is located, showed the Sanchez family visits took place on February 7, February 21, and February 26 this year.

According to the logbooks, Sanchez’s wife Elvira visited him on February 7 and 26. On February 21, she was accompanied by daughter Mymy. The February 21 visit was not recorded in the logbook at the building entrance but was recorded in the 4th floor logbook, near Panelo’s office.

Panelo confirmed the 3 visits in response to questions at the Palace press briefing on Thursday. Initially, he could not recall the February 21 visit.

With the help of his staff, Panelo later clarified he was unable to personally see the Sanchezes on February 21 as they were only in his office for 3 minutes.

In a previous press conference, Panelo said that in one of the meetings, he had merely told the Sanchez family that he would send their request to the Bureau of Pardons and Parole (BPP).

But he did not explain what happened in the two other meetings and why more meetings were necessary.

Access to Palace

Asked by reporters how the Sanchezes could so easily enter the Malacañang compound – 3 times – despite typical tight Palace security, Panelo said he himself wondered about the same thing.

“We don’t even know how they were able to come…. I think that’s a security problem of the PSG (Presidential Security Group). Maybe they were lax,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

He said he thought it odd that they were able to go up to his office supposedly without him knowing about it beforehand.

But Panelo said security tends to be more lax in the gate leading to his office building, Gate 2.

“My experience here is that in Gate 2, it’s not too strict. Sometimes strict, sometimes not. They really have to be strict because sometimes I’m surprised. Why is this person here?” said Panelo.

Lawmakers and critics have questioned Panelo’s judgement in entertaining the Sanchezes and forwarding their letter to a government agency, with all the power that comes with a Malacañang letterhead.

But on Wednesday, Duterte absolved him of any wrongdoing, saying it was not Panelo’s fault that former clients seek his help.

Panelo had also only admitted his communication with the Sanchez family on Tuesday, September 3, despite repeatedly telling media previously that he had no contact with the family since he was their lawyer in 1995.

The spokesman insisted he did not lie to the media. He claimed he thought he was being asked about contact with Sanchez himself. – Rappler.com