FAELDON WAS NOT ABSOLVED FROM GCTA MESS - GORDON

Senator Richard J. Gordon clarified the reports that he is steering former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Nicanor Faeldon away from the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) mess.

Gordon said, it was clear that the Senate Blue Ribbon, and Justice and Human Rights Committees, which he heads, invited Faeldon to hear his side on the issue, but the latter declined the invitation and said that he had to attend an event at the Canadian Embassy that day. As a result, Gordon summoned Faeldon and was grilled during the past GCTA hearings.

The Senator pointed out that Faeldon is incompetent and that he admitted his lack of knowledge on the Department of Justice (DOJ) Order No. 953, which mandates the approval of the Director General of BuCor or his representative for the release of prisoners with expired sentence, and the approval of the Secretary of Justice to release inmates who are sentenced to life imprisonment.

Since he is ignorant on the department order as what he stated on his testimony, Faeldon permitted the early release of ex-Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez, who was convicted with nine counts of reclusion perpetua.

"He didn't know the law; he didn't care. It's very clear na at the very least, Faeldon doesn't know his job. He is required to know the job. He cannot hide behind the fact that he had no knowledge about the law," Gordon said in one of the hearings.

On September 4, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte announced Faeldon's dismissal as bureau chief in a press conference in Malacañang.

"Faeldon was not cleared from the corruption in BuCor as what stated on reports, specifically sa mga anomalya sa New Bilibid Prison. Naimbestigahan na siya sa Senado at siya'y umamin na hindi niya alam ang tungkol sa department order ng DOJ. Clearly, that is negligence of duty. Kaya nga siya nasibak sa puwesto," Gordon explained.

In 2018, the Blue Ribbon Committee has also proven Faeldon's participation on the widespread bribery in the Bureau of Customs (BoC) or the so-called "tara system" that involved the smuggling of 605 kilograms or P6.4-billion worth of shabu shipment from China. He was detained for contempt at the Senate and was later on discharged from his post as the bureau chief.