By Hannah Torregoza
Former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Nicanor Faeldon wanted to realign P1-billion for regional prison facilities to his home province in Sablayan, Mindoro, but the funds were not released.
Nicanor Faeldon (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara disclosed this during the Senate’s plenary deliberation into the proposed P22.022-billion budget of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday, in response to a query raised by Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon.
Drilon, asking for an update on the implementation of the construction and rehabilitation of penal facilities in Palawan, Davao, Leyte, Zamboanga, and the Correctional Institution for Women, noted that P1-billion was appropriated for the purpose under the 2019 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
“Napaayos ba natin ang mga ito (Have we fixed these)? The reason why I’m interested in this is because this could form the nucleus for regionalization of facilities,” Drilon pointed out during the interpellation.
“For example Palawan, Davao — they are presently already used as prison facilities, an improvement pursuant to the allocation that we made; P1-billion could be the starting point for the regionalization of our prison system and decongest our Muntinlupa penitentiary,” he explained.
But Angara, who defended the DOJ’s budget, said that the funds have yet to be released, adding he was told that Faeldon had earlier written a letter to the finance committee “asking for the realignment.”
Angara said Faeldon wanted to transfer the funds instead to Sablayan, Mindoro, home to the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm.
“But we told him that it’s not proper for the committee to do that because it’s already a line item in the GAA and to realign that item, you would need an amendment of the law. That was our response, your honor,” he said.
At this, Drilon branded Faeldon’s move as “terrible” and urged Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra to officially withdraw Faeldon’s letter “which is totally improper as a matter of policy set by Congress.”
“The former BuCor chief Faeldon has absolutely no business asking for realignment. And it is totally uncalled for because that is the policy set by Congress. A bureau director has no business attempting to realign these funds to his home province,” Drilon stressed.
To which Angara agreed: “Perhaps he was given some faulty legal advice.”
“So the (DOJ) secretary pledges he will ask for the release of that and will implement it the way Congress intended it,” Angara said.
Later in an interview, Drilon said there is nothing illegal with Faeldon’s request for realignment, but when he requested it was before the last election.
“We heard that he was interested in running for an election post in Mindoro. Certainly, to request the realignment of P1-billion…to Sablayan detention facilities in Mindoro has become suspect,” Drilon pointed out.
“In other words, it is not motivated by any desire to improve our detention system but some other motives. Inevitably, the question is: was it related to some political plans that he had in Mindoro?” he stressed.
Fortunately, Drilon said, Faeldon is no longer the BuCor chief. Faeldon was sacked last September after he nearly caused the release from prison of convicted rapist and murderer Antonio Sanchez, former Calauan, Laguna mayor.
“Absolutely, there is no basis for a bureau director to try to overturn a policy decision of Congress, especially where his decision is suspect. It was good that the President accepted his resignation,” Drilon said.
Sources, however, said Faeldon is not from Mindoro and that his home province is Batanes.