Here he goes again...

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said on Friday that the Department of Justice had erred in ordering the release of all five supporters of ousted President Joseph Estrada who were seized on May 22 in controversial circumstances.

One man, Ruben Dionisio, 60, should have been kept in detention given the strong case of rebellion against him, according to Gonzalez.

“That guy should not have been released. The problem is when it was announced that the four would be released, [Senior State Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco] thought all would be released,” Gonzalez said.

He said that “in the complexity of things that have been happening,” only Virgilio Eustaquio, Jim Lucio Cabauatan, Dennis Ibuna and PO3 Jose Justo Curameng should have been freed on May 25.

At 1 p.m. of that day, Velasco announced that he had ordered the release of the five men, to allow them to seek legal counsel and prepare for a preliminary investigation.

Three hours later, Gonzalez called the Inquirer to say that it was he who had ordered the release because he felt that the evidence against the five might “not be sufficient to declare probable cause.”

The five men were released at about 7:45 p.m.[inq7.net]

Pambihira! Paano kaya mag-usap ang mga taong ito sa DOJ? Senyasan lang? Text messaging? Usapin ng pagpapalaya ng mga pinaparatangang banta sa buhay ng presidente at cabinet secretaires, makakalaya dahil sa maling akala? Tsk!

Gonzalez also expressed surprise why Dionisio, who claimed to have been tortured while in detention, had left the Philippine National Police Hospital.

“He was placed in the hospital in Camp Crame precisely so doctors there can establish whether he was tortured. But he left right away after his release,” Gonzalez said, adding: “A normal person would have stayed to get a medico-legal report.” [inq7.net]

Uhm..Kahit naman ako itong dinukot ng militar, tinortyur at dinala sa ospital na impluwensado din ng mga dumukot sa akin, aba, aalis din ako doon kapag may pagkakataon. Tsk! Kung ang pagiging normal ay pagiging katulad ni Sec. Gonzales kung bumanat, parang mas ok maging hindi normal.