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By Jomar Canlas Reporter
The Court of Appeals (CA) ordered
the New Bilibid Prison to explain the leaves from jail made by
former Occidental Mindoro Governor and convict Jose Villarosa for
medical check-ups, since these were undertaken without the proper
court orders.
The order of the appellate
court’s Special Former Sixth Division stemmed from a letter lodged
with Presiding Justice Conrado Vasquez Jr. from former Rep. Ricardo
Quintos of the same province, who cited that Villarosa was released
twice already, particularly on December 2006 and December 2007.
“Wherefore, accused-appellant
Jose Villarosa and the Head of office of the New Bilibid Prisons are
hereby ordered to comment of the said allegations within ten days
from receipt hereof,” the court’s order stated.
Quintos is the father of Paul and
Michael. Villarosa along with seven others were sentenced last year
by a Quezon City Regional Trial Court for murdering the two on
December 13, 1997. The case is under appeal.
The letter pointed out that
Villarosa’s releases on December 2006 and 2007 were not given
permission by the appellate court. The elder Quintos stressed that
last December 2006, Villarosa was able to stay out of prison for 19
days after being confined at the Makati Medical Center.
Quintos also complained the
special treatment is being given to the
former governor, whose wife is now the Deputy Speaker at the House
of Representatives and close to President Gloria Arroyo.
He also wondered about the
treatment being given to the convicted governor, because he is
allowed to go to the hospital while his case is not considered
serious.
”According to Quintos, his
sources revealed to him that apart from his old age,
accused-appellant Villarosa was normal and not sickly at all prior
to his recent confinement in the hospital; thus, accused appellant
Villarosa was supposedly being afforded special and unwarranted
benefits by the NBP” the court stated.
Likewise on December 2007,
Secretary Raul Gonzalez signed the “allowance for a medical
check-up” requested by Villarosa.
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