President Rodrigo Duterte comes to the defense of his spokesperson and chief legal counsel Sal Panelo amid his alleged conflict of interest involving the Sanchez family.
The family of rape-slay convict Antonio Sanchez had asked for Panelo’s recommendation for a presidential pardon.
Duterte said Panelo did not violate the law when he referred to the Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP).
“He referred it to the proper entity that is, the board. Panelo did not commit any infraction of the law,” the President said in a speech in Malacañang.
The President said that there is no conflict of interest between Panelo and his former client.
“He has no decision at all. Why is there a conflict of interest when he is not called upon to decide?” Duterte explained.
“I can vouch for his character. I will have to stand by him because it is really the truth, and he did what is right,” the President added.
