QUEZON CITY, Philippines (Eagle News) — Former Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon protested the alleged violation of his human rights by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, particularly its chair Senator Richard Gordon.
Faeldon said that Senator Richard Gordon, chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee did not allow him to celebrate the holiday season with his family.
He also said that the committee did not allow him to have a check-up with his cardiologist and did not allow him to attend his oath-taking as the newly-appointed deputy administrator of the Office of Civil Defense. Because of this, the sacked official accused Gordon of being cruel and giving him inhumane punishment.
“I thought all along that cruel, degrading, and inhuman punishment had been outlawed under our Constitution. I was wrong. Sen. Gordon in his capacity as chairman of the SBRC, and for reasons known only to him, has inflicted and is inflicting upon me the following cruel, degrading, and inhumane punishment,” he said.
Faeldon then said that he was warned that if this treatment would come out in the press, his visitation rights would be cut-off along with the electricity and water in his detention room.
“I was warned that if I came out with this press statement, my visitation rights would totally be cut-off, along with the electricity and water in my detention room,” Faeldon said.
Meanwhile, Senator Richard Gordon said that all the requests of Faeldon could not be granted because he is held for contempt and that safety concerns still remain.
“The citation for contempt was, and still is, a collegial act which the Chair, on his own, cannot reverse,” Gordon said.
Gordon also said that Faeldon has asked for permission to go to the DND Headquarters in Quezon City “without being accompanied” by the members of the Office of the Sergeant at Arms (OSAA), because of this the request was not granted.
“That request was not granted because: one, his release without the company of the OSAA would have meant that he was being released from custody, without his having cleansed himself of his contumacious conduct, the very reason why he is detained,” he added.
“Consistent with the previous denial of his request, we informed him that the safety concerns still remained, what with the previous threats that were made against him,” he said.