[Translation: The ‘GCTA for sale’ has not yet been proven. They can’t show proof.]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 4) — Some senators called on Bureau of Corrections Director-General Nicanor Faeldon to resign in the wake of corruption allegations against him.
The senator on Wednesday said Duterte, who appointed Faeldon, is being unnecessarily dragged into Faeldon’s decision to release 1,914 heinous crime convicts — which has drawn public outrage.
“He can spare the President and this administration from embarrassment by taking a leave of absence… If Usec. Faeldon truly respects the President, he must do the right thing. I’m pretty sure everything will work out for him in the end,” he said in a statement.
Despite his call for Faeldon to take a leave until the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) issue is resolved, he still believes the top official is a “good man.”
Pacquiao also dispelled the observation of several senators that there is a “GCTA-for-sale” in BuCor, that prioritizes the early release of rich convicts.
“Sa ngayon, kwentong barbero lang yang GCTA-for-sale na sinasabi nila dahil wala pa naman silang maipakitang ebidensiya,” he said.
Senators Joel Villanueva and Win Gatchalian also asked the Corrections chief to resign, with Gatchalian saying Faeldon should do it out of delicadeza (honor).
Faeldon, during the Senate hearings into the alleged corruption in BuCor, refused to resign. He said there is no need for him to step down as he is doing a good job. He, instead, said the decision of his fate is up to Duterte.
Senator Manny Pacquiao urged Faeldon to temporarily step down to spare President Rodrigo Duterte from the controversy.
“Given the string of anomalies that has hounded Usec. Faeldon in every government agency he has headed, the only honorable thing he can do at this point is to resign out of delicadeza,” he said.
Gatchalian said Faeldon’s answers during the inquiry show he is not prepared and his answers were inconsistent.
“To achieve true reform in the Bureau of Corrections, Faeldon needs to go. And the sooner he resigns, the better,” he added.
Villanueva said he hoped Faeldon would have the “humility and decency” to recognize what was “slowly becoming the epitome of the government’s failure to address corruption.”
He said Faeldon’s appointments at the BuCor and previously at the Customs bureau were associated with corruption and drug smuggling.
The senator said Faeldon should be “permanently be dumped and not recycled.”
