Leviste to be charged with ‘evasion of sentence’ — BuCor – Nation – GMA News Online – Latest Philippine News.

SOPHIA DEDACE, GMA News

The Bureau of Corrections will file evasion of service of sentence charges against former Batangas Gov. Jose Antonio Leviste, who was arrested by goverment agents for leaving the New Bilibd Prison without a pass on Wednesday.

In an interview at the Department of Justice on Thursday, BuCor director Ernesto Diokno said he filing of charges is underway.

“We will charge him with evasion of [service of] sentence because he is leaving [BIlibid] without a permit. His custodial guard will also be charged,” Diokno told reporters after a meeting with DOJ Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III, the department official with administrative supervision of BuCor.

Leviste was convicted of homicide in January 2009 for the killing of his longtime friend Rafael de las Alas in 2006. The Makati Regional Trial Court that handed down the guilty verdict sentenced the former governor to six to 12 years in prison.

On Wednesday afternoon, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents arrested Leviste in Makati City after finding he left the the national penitentiary without a pass.

Leviste is on a “living out” status, which means that he is not detained at the maximum security facility but only within the NBP compound in Muntinlupa City. At 71, Leviste is a candidate for executive clemency because NBP inmates above 70 can apply for such.

If found guilty of evasion of sentence, more years will be added to Leviste’s sentence, Diokno said.

Leviste said he was in Makati City because he had an appointment with his dentist, a claim that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima found “very flimsy.”

De Lima had ordered an inquiry on why Leviste was able to walk in and out of Bilibid without a permit. She also hinted at sanctions against Diokno over the matter.

But on Thursday, Diokno said he implemented the proper measures when it was first reported to him that Leviste was leaving NBP premises. He added he had warned the governor several times.

“When I first got here [as BuCor director], I received the information that high-profile prisoners are going in and out of Bilibid. One of those was Leviste. So I told him that I had such information. But he said he remains within the compound and that he had a twin. So I gave him all the warnings,” Diokno said. — RSJ, GMA News

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