DOJ probe showed Leviste evaded sentence

MANILA - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima now admits the Board of Pardons and Parole may have overlooked a key issue when it granted parole to former Batangas governor and convicted killer Antonio Leviste. The 73-year-old Leviste, who was convicted of homicide for the killing of his aide Rafael delas Alas in 2007, was released from New Bilibid Prison last Friday. Following a review ordered by President Aquino, de Lima now says the BPP may have overlooked Leviste's separate case of evasion of sentence when it granted the parole. In 2011, Leviste was caught outside prison, exposing the VIP treatment being given to wealthy inmates. De Lima said in granting Leviste's parole, the BPP cited his acquittal from the evasion of sentence charged by a Makati court but failed to take into account the report of the Department of Justice fact-finding team that showed Leviste did evade his sentence. The justice chief has already submitted to President Aquino the justifications of the BPP for its decision. She will submit to the President a second memorandum on her views on Leviste's parole. De Lima said it is up to the President if he wants to revoke the parole granted to the former governor.