'Breakdown of justice'Meantime, anti-crime crusader Teresita Ang-See and some in the legal community believe that Leviste may have used money to get his way around the judicial system.
Leviste, who is serving 6 to 12 years in prison for killing his aide Rafael delas Alas in 2007, was charged on Friday for evasion of service of sentence after being caught going out of prison multiple times without permission.
Those in the legal community said it's clear that there is a breakdown in the five pillars of justice: the police investigation, the prosecution, the trial, the security in the detention facility, and the community's vigilance.
They pointed out that even if just one of the five pillars fails, justice cannot be achieved -- as in the case of Leviste.
“It does not serve its purpose kung nakakalabas rin lang siya,†Atty. Jose Manuel Diokno, dean of the De La Salle University College of Law, said.
What's worse is that prison guards and New Bilibid Prison officials have made a living out of giving privileges to high-profile prisoners, they said.
'Fire those liable'Now, several lawmakers and those in the legal community want to fire or charge those liable in these cases.
It's possible that BuCor Director Diokno may be among those held responsible due to command responsibility.
“We have to review the system kasi tayo ang kawawa; it's the only one we've got... otherwise, dadami ang shortcuts,†Ang-See said.
They added, issues of special treatment inside detention facilities have gone on for too long, and it's about time that somebody is held liable.
The evasion of service of sentence case against the former Batangas governor was filed by the Justice Department at the Makati Metropolitan Trial Court. His driver, Nilo Solis, was charged as an accomplice.
If found guilty of the new charges, he faces 6 more years in jail.
Diokno: What command responsibility?The fiasco also prompted Diokno to sack at least 10 jail officials, including guards on duty at the time Leviste was in and out of the NBP.
But Diokno refuses to take command responsibility and resign. After explaining himself to President Aquino, Diokno is confident he will keep his post.
"Bakit ako magreresign? Gumagawa ako ng mabuti...Ang may kasalanan ang mananagot… Wala akong commmand responsibility...Kung may nangyari sa Davao Iwahig , mababantayan ko ba lahat yun?," Diokno said.
A fact-finding team created by the Justice Department will begin its probe into Leviste's so-called 'prison break' with an ocular inspection of the New Bilibid Prison.
Justice Secretary Leila De Lima wants to find out how Leviste was able to leave jail, how many times he did it, and punish those responsible.
With reports from Jing Castañeda, Anthony Taberna, and Jorge Cariño, ABS-CBN NewsLinkback:
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