Defiant Jalosjos walks out of prison, flies to Dapitan City

(Updated 10:06 p.m.) Romeo Jalosjos, a former Zamboanga del Norte congressman convicted of raping an 11-year-old girl in 1996, walked out of the New Bilibid Prison Saturday and arrived at his hometown in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte, late afternoon, insisting he is legally “a free man." According to a GMA News’s Flash report, Jalosjos would stay at the Dapitan City Hall for the night and might spend the Christmas holiday at his home in the city. Jalosjos told GMA News that his certificate of discharge has not been revoked and that there was no need to ask permission from prison authorities. “If you remember I have stood pat in the belief that I’m a free man upon receipt of the discharge order and proper documentation," Jalosjos told GMA News. "I consider myself a free man. I move around and do not have to ask permission." The former lawmaker was referring to the certificate of discharge allegedly issued last December 16 by Penal Supt. lV Juanito L. Leopando. Jalosjos left the NBP past midnight but returned to jail a day later following an order from the Department of Justice, which disputed the release order. Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales told GMA News that he was unaware of Jalosjos’s release Saturday from NBP, but he said the former lawmaker will be arrested if the report is confirmed. Jalosjos said he received information that police would arrest him Sunday and assured officers he would not resist them unless they show a warrant of arrest. Dapitan city officials told GMANews.TV that hundreds of city folk have flocked to the city square, where Jalosjos delivered a speech. In an interview over DZBB Saturday night, Dapitan City councilor Apple Agolong said that Jalosjos arrived in Dapitan City at about 5 p.m. after taking a private plane from Manila. She said that as of 9:30 p.m., the city plaza near the City Hall where Jalosjos was staying was jampacked with his supporters, most of whom were urged to go there via text messages. “Punong puno ang city plaza namin, nagwe-welcome sa kanya. Narito na ang nagsasabing aaresto sa kanya, from Zamboanga City. Hahanapan namin sila ng arrest warrant tapos scrutinize (The city plaza is getting full of people welcoming him. When the lawmen from Zamboanga City come to arrest him we will scrutinize their arrest warrants)," she said. Agolong said she was surprised when she heard that Jalosjos had arrived at Dapitan City. “We couldn’t believe the news narito siya (he is already here)," she said. No Palace nod Malacañang on Saturday said it did not authorize the release of former lawmaker Romeo Jalosjos from National Bilibid prisons, according to a radio dzBB report. The radio report quoted Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Sergio Apostol as saying the Palace was unaware that Jalosjos has returned to Dapitan in Zamboanga del Norte. Apostol also said they are leaving the issue on Jalosjos's release to the Department of Justice particularly to its head, Secretary Raul Gonzalez. He further said Gonzalez would decide the next legal move to take in resolving the controversy. Jalosjos caused a stir last December 16 when it was reported that he was allowed to leave the penitentiary after his sentence was commuted. But after several sectors questioned the release, Malacañang suspended the release while Gonzalez ordered a review of the computation of Jalosjos's shortened sentence. Gonzalez also barred media from interviewing prisoners without his office's permission. - GMANews.TV