Ex-Mayor Sanchez vows innocence despite decades-old conviction

Former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez insisted on his innocence in the rape-slay of UP Los Baños student Eileen Sarmenta and the killing of her friend Allan Gomez, claiming that he, too, was a victim having been wrongly convicted.

Sanchez has not changed his tone since 1993, when he was first accused of these crimes, continuing to deny his involvement in the killing, according to a 24 Oras Weekend report by John Consulta.

"Ako'y nakikisimpatiya doon sa mga Gomez at doon sa Sarmenta. Naaawa ako sa kanila. Ang mabigat lang, pareho na lang kaming biktima. Bakit? Eh kung sila ma'y hindi maniwala na ako'y biktima, nasa kanila na 'yon. Kasi hanggang ngayon wala pa silang katarungan eh," Sanchez said.

"Kung ako ay may kasalanan, on the spot sumpain na Niya ako ngayon. Ako ang dapat na bigyan ng sumpa at ako'y nagsisinungaling. Ang aking apo ay 21, pati mga anak ko nasa abroad. Mamatay na rin lahat sila, kung ako'y totoong may kasalanan na sinasabi nila," he added.

Sanchez also denied killing father and son Nelson and Rickson Peñalosa in 1999, for which he was sentenced to 40 years of imprisonment.

He said he respected the statement of Malacañang that he could not be freed under the good conduct time allowance.

"Tama namang magsabi si Presidente, pero may batas naman eh. Supreme Court naman ang nag-order niyan. Eh 'di bahala sila. Nasa kanila 'yon. Kung ayaw nila akong palayain, okay din. Bakit, nagtiis nga ako ng 26 years sa kasalanang hindi ko ginawa," he added.

Sanchez showed GMA News his room at the New Bilibid Prison as well as his former room and bathroom in an effort to prove his claims that he had not been receiving special treatment in jail.

He also revealed his closet to show he had no skirts nor lipstick, refuting rumors he wore and put on such items.

"Eh 'di sana nakita mo nakapalda ako at naka-lipstick! Bakit naman ako magpa-palda eh lalaking-lalaki ako?" asked Sanchez.

On a recent viral photo where he was seen with a woman in an air-conditioned room with a sofa and drinks, Sanchez said the photo was taken at the Ospital ng Muntinlupa last year when he was confined due to kidney problems.

"Paano po kaya? Buhayin Niyo po uli si Eileen at saka si Gomez na 'yon. Pababain Niyo naman po sa pamilya nila. Sabihin, ibulong po sa kanilang mga magulang kung talagang sino ang gumawa," Sanchez prayed before a statue of the Virgin Mary. — Jamil Santos/DVM/KG, GMA News