Eileen Sarmenta's mom favors return of death penalty

Maria Clara Sarmenta, mother of slain UP Los Baños student Eileen Sarmenta, on Thursday voiced her support to the reimposition of the death penalty in the country, amid the recent development surrounding her daughter's convicted killer.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, Sarmenta said although she believes convicts should be given "a chance to change his life," this excludes those who show no remorse in what they did.

"Yes po," Sarmenta said when asked if she supports the reimposition of the death penalty in light of the impending release from jail of Antonio Sanchez, the man convicted for killing Eileen and another UPLB student in the 90s.

"Kasi kung magiging kamukha ngayon yung mangyayari, parang hindi makatarungan kung ikaw ay biktima ng ganitong klase ng crime, heinous crime," Sarmenta said.

"But ako, agree naman na everybody has to be given a chance to change is life. But yung kay Sanchez, we didn't see any remorse in him," she added.

Sanchez — who was mayor of Calauan, Laguna, when Eileen and her friend, Allan Gomez, were abducted and killed — is one of thousands of inmates eligible for the recomputation of good conduct time allowances on the basis of Republic Act No. 10592 and a Supreme Court ruling that made the effectivity of the law retroactive, according to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.

Eileen's mother is opposed to Sanchez's likely release from prison which she said they only learned about through news reports.

"Itong nangyari na ito, parang bumalik lahat ng struggles namin, yung pain, yung feeling ko na bumagsak ang mundo nung namatay si Eileen. Bumalik po lahat iyan," she said.

Sarmenta also said they fear that Sanchez might "retaliate" once he is released from prison.

"Siyempre po hindi yun mawawala sa amin isipan [na] baka mag-retaliate o whatever. Nili-lift up ko na lang po kay Lord ang lahat," she said.

In his recent State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Rodrigo Duterte called on Congress to reimpose death penalty. 

Four senators—Pacquiao, Panfilo Lacson, Ronald Sela Rosa, and Christopher "Bong" Go—have filed bills seeking the revival of death penalty. —KBK, GMA News