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MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Saturday, December 7, said former Batangas Governor Jose Antonio Leviste met all qualifications required to be eligible for consideration for parole as confirmed by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima herself.
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr said in a radio interview there are no administrative or legal obstacles to Leviste’s parole’s after the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) dismissed its case against him.
“Regarding the issue that he violated his prison sentence, the Makati Regional Trial Court heard a case against him for evasion of sentence. The Makati RTC then dismissed the case. That issue has been resolved,” Coloma said in Filipino.
In May 2011, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed a complaint of evasion of service of sentence against Leviste. This was after an ABS-CBN public affairs program exposed that Leviste was allowed to freely leave the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) compound in Muntinlupa 3 times that year.
After Leviste defended himself saying “he was legitimately outside because he was given a green light by the prison officers,” Branch 62 of the Makati RTC acquitted him and his driver Nilo Solis de Guzman. But the incident forced the resignation of Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Ernesto Diokno.
The justice department also dismissed 5 NBP officials from service July of 2013 after a fact-finding panel found that they allowed Leviste to leave prison without the approval of the BuCor. (READ: DOJ dismisses 5 prison officials who let Leviste leave)
Leviste, who was released 11:20 am Friday, December 6, was first detained in 2007 in a local jail – the year he shot his longtime employee Rafael de las Alas in Leviste’s office at the LPL Tower in Makati.
After he was found guilty of homicide by a Makati court in 2009, he was brought to the NBP. Probers said he repeatedly shot de las Alas in the head.
Temporary liberty
Coloma added that Leviste’s parole does not mean total liberty yet. “According to law, he will still have to undergo surveillance. He will still have reporting requirements as part of the administrative process, so he also must comply with these requirements,” he said in Filipino.
Head of Pardon and Parole Administration (PPA) Manuel Co told ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel, that Leviste’s “temporary liberty” meant “he is under the continuous custody of the state.”
Co said Leviste already served the minimum jail term meted him – a minimum of 6 years and a maximum of 12 years.
He added that Leviste’s old age, 73, was also a consideration, making him “no longer a threat to the community.” In addition, the family of de las Alas did not object to the parole.
Coloma said the Palace will respect, follow, and participate in all legal processes should anyone question the parole in court. – Rappler.com
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