BY GERARD NAVAL

THE verbal assaults of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez on the parents of murder victim Maureen Hultman come as a no surprise, a Church official said yesterday.

"This administration is not known for being polite… Hindi siya masyadong humble. That is why hindi ako nagtataka if it comes from the top (official) down to the lower officials," said Rodolfo Diamante, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

Gonzalez on Thursday called Anders and Vivian Hultman "hypocrites" for saying they did not know that their daughter’s killer, Claudio Teehankee Jr., was being considered for pardon. Before this, Gonzalez said the Hultmans can appeal the case before "Jesus Christ" as the courts could not interfere with President Arroyo’s exclusive prerogative to grant pardon or clemency.

It was Gonzalez who confirmed Monday that Teehankee, "for good behavior," was granted executive clemency October 3.

Diamante said the "arrogance" of the Arroyo government could be a case of it "exercising the extent of its power to the hilt."

Teehankee left the National Bilibid Prison Wednesday night, evading media men who had staked out outside his quarters for hours.

Teehankee, son of former Chief Justice Claudio Teehankee Sr., was convicted by the Supreme Court in 1995 for the killing of Maureen and her friend John Chapman on July 13, 1991.

Diamante called on the government to look into the condition of ordinary prisoners as against the rich and influential detainees.

Teehankee’s quarters was found to have amenities such as a wide screen TV, air-conditioning, refrigerators, and comfortable beds.

"The current situation inside prison cells just shows how pathetic the penal system is in the country… ang dapat gawin ay sundin yung standards," Diamante said.

‘LIVING-OUT’ PRIVILEGE

An inmate is not allowed by law to set up his own quarters inside the NBP, but they can avail of "living-out" arrangements, if they can afford it.

Gonzalez yesterday told reporters such amenities are not allowed by law in the "living-out" quarters.

The "living-out" facilities inside the 500-hectare NBP compound serve as half-way houses for the rich and influential inmates who have already served half their sentences or those who are awaiting release.

Gonzalez said the rationale behind these facilities was to prepare the inmate to reintegrate himself to society once he leaves prison and to "make conditions habitable for them."

CAPACITY

Gonzalez said not every prisoner is entitled to the "privileged" facilities. Entitled are a handful particularly those with high-profile cases whose lives may be in danger if they would be "mixed with hardened criminals, he said.

"They are allowed to those privileges, provided that they do not leave the Bureau of Corrections compound. Depende iyon sa capacity mo (to pay). But as a general rule, that should not be. In fact that was questioned long ago. But the authorities in the Bucor (Bureau of Corrections) have, I suppose, taken into consideration certain circumstances of people," he said.

Gonzalez admitted that such amenities were not allowed under the rules governing the administration of the NBP.

PERKS

Asked if he would stop this practice, Gonzalez said he would first ask the NBP director Oscar Calderon his basis for allowing certain inmates to get certain "perks" and preferential treatment.

He also said he wants to look into reports that some inmates in the maximum and minimum security areas are enjoying some amenities given only to "living-out" inmates.

Those who are allowed to live in nipa huts inside the NBP compound are minimum security prisoners.

"We will look into that. We’ll first find out the basis. These are high-profile inmates, it’s only fair to give them exceptional security," he said.

WHO’S TO BLAME?

Teehankee’s stayed in "posh" living-out quarters by prison standards. It was previously refurbished by convicted child rapist former Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Romeo Jalosjos near the NBP’s "Ina ng Awa" chapel.

The quarters were built and refurbished using Jalosjos’ money and with the permission of then NBP director Vicente Vinarao and the Bureau of Correction.

Gonzalez said Teehankee occupied Jalosjos’ quarters with full permission of the latter.