Leviste walks free, granted parole

FORMER Batangas Gov. Antonio Leviste, who was convicted for homicide in 2009, was released on Friday from the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) after the his parole application was granted by the Board of Pardons Parole (BPP).

NBP Supt. Venancio Tesoro said Leviste was officially released from jail at 11:20 a.m. after completing some documents required for his release.

The BPP granted Leviste’s application for parole on November 19 along with 34 other prisoner-applicants.

“The board granted his parole after he served his minimum sentence and in consideration of his age, 73,” Tesoro told reporters in an interview.

Leviste was found guilty by the Regional Trial Court in Makati City of shooting to death his aide Rafael de las Alas, during an altercation inside his office in Makati City on January 12, 2007.

He was sentenced to serve a minimum of six years and a maximum sentence of 12 years in January 14, 2009, but it was reduced to just a little under five years after he earned “good conduct time allowance.”

Tesoro said such allowance is earned when a prisoner “has no derogatory conduct and record based on presumed prison rules.”

In 2011 Leviste was caught staying inside his office after he was reported to have “escaped” from prison.

After his rearrest, Leviste has since been kept inside the NBP Maximum Security Compound.

Justice Secretary Leila De Lima, on the other hand, said Leviste was able to meet the requirements to be eligible for parole.

“I also understand that there is no objection from the family of the victim. In fact, I think they joined also the application and that is something important, and it helped in that application for parole,” she said.

But, Parole and Probation Administrator Manuel Co clarified that the granting of parole does not necessarily mean the full restoration of Leviste’s liberty as he has to comply with some conditions or else his parole may be forfeited.

These conditions include reporting  to a parole and probation officer within 15 days after his release; reporting at least once a month in person to the parole and probation officer in the area where he will reside; staying in the same address as approved by the parole and probation regional director; not indulging in any illegal activities; not possessing firearms; not associating with persons or groups engaged in any criminal activities; conducting himself in an orderly manner; if arrested, he shall get in touch with his parole officer within two days; and allowing his parole officer to regularly visit him at his home and/or place of business.

source:  Business Mirror

Rem's Research  

• PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 968 July 24, 1976 - 

Section 4. Grant of Probation. Subject to the provisions of this Decree, the court may, after it shall have convicted and sentenced a defendant and upon application at any time of said defendant, suspend the execution of said sentence and place the defendant on probation for such period and upon such terms and conditions as it may deem best.

xxx

Section 9. Disqualified Offenders. The benefits of this Decree shall not be extended to those:

(a) sentenced to serve a maximum term of imprisonment of more than six years;