Mayor’s release to open old wounds

The impending release of convicted rapist and murderer former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez does not only reopen old wounds on the part of the victims’ families but also flashes back on alleged attempts to cover up for the local executive.

In an interview at the University of the Philippines-Los Baños yesterday, Iluminada Gomez and Oliver John Gomez, mother and brother, respectively, of victim Allan Gomez, were enraged over the possibility of Sanchez being freed.

The two joined an indignation rally held by various militant groups and attended also by former classmates of Gomez and Eileen Sarmenta.

Gomez said she is angered by the prospect of Sanchez getting out of the New Bilibid Prison.

“What will be the use of this person (Sanchez). Does he have any use in our society?” asked Mrs. Gomez.

“He did not show any good behavior at all,” she added, citing reports of Sanchez’s illegal activities while serving his sentence.

For his part, Oliver lamented that they feel that the peace of mind they got after the conviction of Sanchez in 1995 was snatched from them following reports that the former mayor is now qualified to be freed.

Peace of mind dissolves

“The peace of mind we had for the past 26 years all of a sudden was gone… It’s not hate. It’s sadness over what is happening now,” he said.

In a broadcast interview earlier, Sarmenta’s mother Ma. Clara said the pain she felt in 1993 came back af ter hearing the news about Sanchez’s impending release.

To tell you the truth, I wasn’t able to sleep last night. Everything came back to me — the pain, the struggle, bringing back our lives together.

What will be the use of this person (Sanchez)? Does he have any use in our society?

“To tell you the truth, I wasn’t able to sleep last night. Everything came back to me — the pain, the struggle, bringing back our lives together,” Sarmenta said.

Apart from reopening old wounds, persons privy to the case also remembered attempts to cover up for Sanchez.

One source cited how Kit Alqueza, son of a retired police general, was implicated in the rape with double murder case.

Lacson in picture

It will be recalled that Alqueza, then 19 years old, was presented as the primary suspect by the defunct Presidential Anti-Crime Commission (PACC) then led by Vice President Joseph Estrada and then police colonel and now Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

The source noted that Estrada and Lacson alleged that “love triangle” motivated the rape-slay of Sarmenta and Gomez.

“That was immediately dismissed because the two were not lovers,” the source said.

The second source stressed that the families of both Sarmenta and Gomez did not believe the PACC angle of the case, prompting them to seek assistance from then President Fidel Ramos.

“All of these flashes back now because of the seeming ploy to free Sanchez,” the second source said.

There were allegations then that Sanchez, who was a known jueteng lord in Laguna, released huge amounts of money to manipulate the investigation.