By DHEL NAZARIO
Lawyer Jose Diño, Jr. is confident his client, embattled former Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon will be in ‘good company’ while inside the Pasay City jail.
Clad in a black shirt with the words “Truth is Justice” printed on it, Faeldon was transferred to the Pasay jail after being incarcerated in the senate since September of last year on a contempt citation.
Senator Richard Gordon, Blue Ribbon committee chairman, said the Senate has agreed to submit Faeldon under the custody of the Pasay City Jail, following the resumption of the probe on alleged corruption at the Bureau of Customs (BoC) the other day.
Diño said he expects Faeldon to be at ease while inside the Pasay Jail as compared to his previous stay inside the Senate’s premises where he was left alone most of the time.
Diño said it would help that Faeldon has had extensive experience as member of the Philippine Marines, making it easy for the beleaguered the former Customs chief to adapt the prison environment.
“He will serve his time dutifully as he did when he was in the Senate,” said Diño.
Faeldon appeared at the investigation Monday afternoon after going to the Supreme Court (SC) asking it to stop his detention for refusing to participate in the Senate inquiry.
Faeldon was ordered arrested and detained for refusing to participate in the Senate investigation on the P6.4-billion illegal drugs shipment from China.
The Sept. 7, 2017 arrest and detention order was issued by Gordon as chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee (SBRC).
Gordon said Faeldon should “see a psychiatrist” for his demeanor in the Senate.
He made the proposal as he slammed Faeldon for being “arrogant” and deliberately evading the Senate blue ribbon committee’s probe into the alleged ‘tara’ system at the BOC, which resulted in the release of the P6.4-billion illegal drugs from China.
The Blue Ribbon panel chair said Faeldon is being “selective in his respect, citing the latter’s reason for attending the hearing.”
But Diño defended Faeldon, stating that the former Customs chief was actually polite the entire proceedings Monday despite a seemingly loud voice.
“If you are fiery, if you are spirited, if you are stressing a point, talagang makakapagtaas ka ng boses…he underscored all his replies with the word ‘your honor’… when you stress a point you have to be emphatic also,” Diño explained.
