PUMALAG ang Palasyo matapos namang sisihin si Pangulong Duterte ng nanay ng Chiong sisters matapos mapalaya ang tatlo sa pitong nasa likod ng kidnapping at illegal detention ng magkapatid.
Sa isang briefing, iginiit ni Presidential Spokesperson at Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo na noong panahon ni dating pangulong Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III naipasa ang Republic Act Number 10592 kaugnay ng good conduct time allowance (GCTA) at hindi sa administrasyon ni Duterte.
“On the concern of Mrs. Thelma Chiong and the Congressional Hearing on the law on GCTA. The Office of the President addresses the mother of victims Marijoy and Jacqueline, Mrs. Thelma Chiong. She appears to question the integrity of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in asking the latter about what happened to his law on good conduct time allowance (GCTA) in view of the release of the convicts in her daughters’ case,” sabi ni Panelo.
Nauna nang binatikos ni Mrs. Chiong ang pagpapalaya sa mga sangkot sa nangyaring krimen sa kanyang mga anak.
“While the Palace understands the plight of Mrs. Chiong and commiserates with her situation, we believe that blaming PRRD for Republic Act No. 10592 with all its ambiguities is undeserved and unfair,” idinagdag ni Panelo.
Sinisi pa ni Panelo ang inilabas na implementing rules and regulations (IRR) na aniya’y binalangkas noong 2014 nina Sen. Leila de Lima, na noo’y secretary ng Department of Justice (DOJ) at si dating Interior secretary Mar Roxas II kung saan isina an heinous crimes sa sakop ng RA No. 10592.
“Cleary, the law and its IRR were prepared not by the officials of this Administration but by the previous one. The practice of granting GCTA to those convicted of heinous crimes has also been existent years before PRRD assumed his presidential seat,” ayon pa kay Panelo.
“The President will not tolerate any form of injustice being committed under his watch and it is for this reason that he will ensure that the practice initiated by the past administration on the granting of GCTA will no longer continue,” ayon pa kay Panelo.