HEAVIER PENALTIES VS VIP TREATMENT OF CONVICTS SOUGHT

In the wake of the controversial arrest of convicted former Batangas Governor Antonio Leviste, Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. pushed for the passage of his bill that would prescribe stricter penalties on the crime of delivering prisoners from jail and infidelity in the custody.

According to the senator, the Leviste incident is a huge slap in the face of the government and it apparently showed that some penal officials have no qualms about discharging their functions well and even abuse the mandate given to them. "Reports on the so called vacation of prisoners cast doubt on our penal institutions. As it is now, our penal laws do not provide for stricter measures to deter widespread prevalence of infidelity cases in the custody of prisoners. We need to arrest this problem," said Bong Revilla.

The lawmaker stressed that news reports regarding the special treatment extended by prison officials to high-profile inmates is very serious matter that must be addressed as soon as possible. "Apparently, there is already a public perception that discrimination indeed exists in our penal system.; as long as you have the money and you have influence, you can still be free even if you are convicted," he said. In relation to this, Bong Revilla appealed to his colleagues in the Senate to pass as soon as possible his legislative proposal which is aimed to impose heavier penalties stricter penalties on the crime of delivering prisoners from jail and infidelity in the custody of prisoners. Under Senate Bill 2542, any public officer who shall consent to the escape of a convict or detention prisoner in his custody or charge, or who shall release such convict or detention prisoner and allow him to return to prison or detention without any proper court order or authorization shall be punished by prision mayor in its medium and maximum periods. The present penalty under Article 223 of the Revised Penal Code is prision correctional.

"While this may not totally address such concern, our proposed measure will nonetheless be a critical factor in resolving our predicament on the VIP treatment of prisoners," Bong Revilla added.