Sen. Escudero the running mate of Sen. Grace Poe was one of the politicians who have criticized presidential bet Rodrigo Duterte for his joke during a campaign rally in Quezon City, but his sentiments is contrary to his latest pronouncement as he defended a politician who was sentenced with the same case, Congressman Romeo Jalosjos.
The vice presidential candidate from the Bicol Region joined the chorus of politicians who have criticized the joke of Mayor Rody Duterte but in a press conference he defended a convicted felon because his party is allied with former Zamboanga del Norte representative.
Sen. Escudero strongly condemned the joke of Mayor Duterte as he was quoted as saying “I am saddened by what he said. I have a daughter, I was hurt by his statement,” Escudero said but when asked about his alliance with former Congressman Jalosjos, he just noted that Jalosjos case was different.
The former congressman, Rep. Romeo Jalosjos was sentenced to lifetime imprisonment by the Supreme Court in 2002 for rep1ng an 11-year-old girl in 1996 but he was reelected as congressman even while in prison, he was later pardoned by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Romeo Jalosjos now heads the Alliance of Parties for Progress, while his clan remains highly influential across the 3 provinces in Zamboanga Peninsula and the 3 key cities of Pagadian, Dapitan, and Dipolog.
In an interview with the media, Sen. Chiz Escudero explained that the support of Jalosjos’ party in Zamboanga del Norte is a separate matter, besides, he served his sentence and repented but in reality, Jolosjos only served 11 of his 132-year sentence when former Pres. Arroyo pardoned him.
