Background
In 1993, Kit Alqueza, son of General
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Antonio Sanchez
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Alqueza was charged with being the mastermind of the slaying of Allan Gomez. Even as PACC witnesses stated categorically that their allegations were false, Estrada and CISC"s Chief Superintendent Angel Quizon held on to their story.
Significantly, it was suggested by observers and opinion writers that the contrivance was aimed to divert the focus from Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez who had been identified by witnesses as the principal suspect in the UPLB case.
Panfilo Lacson, who was the Chief of the Task Force Habagat of the PACC and Estrada"s links with Mayor Sanchez through the jueteng payolas. Cars supplied by the duo to Sanchez.
Policemen identified with Sanchez who were with Presidential Anti Crime Commission(PACC). One lawyer for the Calauan respondents named Attorney
Exconde who was related by affinity to PACC"s bogus Colonel
Antonio Gana and Attorney March Arias (who is said to have come from Estrada himself) were perceived to be the reasons. According to talks in the Upsilonian Upsilon Sigma Phi circle, PACC"s Ike Gutierrez confided to a prominent Upsilonian that Sanchez had released P10 Million to Estrada, P10 Million to Lacson and P10 Million from media to draw the "heat" away from him.
Lacson has attempted to foist fabricated evidence on the case.
This had been rejected by the Uttar Pradesh group which has closed ranks and vigilantly insisted on the pursuit of justice. Especially the parents of the murder victims, who are rallying support for the Alqueza family.
Despite recantation of PACC"s two witnesses Corcolon and Lavadia (who claims he was tortured to extract false testimony against Alqueza), vehement denial by third witness Rose Molina of PACC"s love triangle theory, and statement by Centino, driver of Sanchez, who pointed at Sanchez as the first to rape Sarmenta, Estrada and Lacson insisted that 19-year-old Alqueza masterminded the murder by paying Lavadia the puny sum of P21,000 to carry out the murder. On March 14, 1995, the judge concluded the 16-month trial by finding Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez and several henchmen (some of whom were policemen) guilty of raping and murdering Sarmenta and killing her boyfriend.
Sanchez is serving (7) terms of Reclusion Perpetua (40 years per term) for the crime.
On January 25, 1999, the Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the RTC. On August 29, 1999, Sanchez was given a double life term by the Supreme Court for a different case. Together with his seven life terms for the Sarmenta-Gomez rape-slay, Sanchez will have to spend at total of 360 years in jail. Antonio Sanchez" case has been an inspiration to the film Humanda Ka Mayor!: Bahala Na Ang Diyos in 1994.
The film, produced by Regal Films and Golden Lions Productions, is based on Mayor Sanchez"s account (having changed to Mayor Miguel Beltran in the film) and criminal activities.
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Invited to a one-on-one dialogue with then Vice President and Presidential Anti Crime Commission Chief Joseph Estrada, he was led to a room full of media people and accused before national television of the crime, without the benefit of a legal counsel and without being given the chance to defend himself.
