THE Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has released veteran broadcaster Jay Sonza after 19 days under its custody for a number of cases.

BJMP Spokesperson Chief Insp. Jayrex Bustinera said Sonza upon verification, was found with no other pending cases and he “was a free man” around 8:57 p.m. Tuesday.

The veteran mediaman according to Bustinera, was supposed to be at Quezon City Jail –Quarantine facility in Payatas, QC for only 14 days but the holidays prolonged his stay at the said detention.

As standard operating procedure (SOP), he should have been transferred to the QC Male Dormitory.

After posting bail of P270,000 for libel and 11 counts of estafa, Sonza got his release paper around 6:30 p.m.

Before he was released, Sonza as part of the process, underwent health checkups and verification of pending cases in several courts.

It can be recalled that the veteran newsman was about to leave for Hong Kong but was stopped by Immigration agents after he was found with pending cases of syndicated and large-scale illegal recruitment, libel and estafa.

Bustinera said the syndicated and large-scale illegal recruitment charges against Sonza were provisionally dismissed by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 100.

A criminal case is provisionally dismissed when the accused expressly consents and the offended party is notified of such a dismissal (Section 8, Rule 117, Rules on Criminal Procedure).

The BJMP also received the release order from the same court for the 11 counts of estafa after Sonza posted bail.

Bustinera said the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 215 also ordered Sonza’s release after his illegal recruitment case was provisionally dismissed.

Sonza also posted bail for his libel case being handled by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 77.

“All with release orders. BJMP also conducted verification of other cases, no pending cases found,’’ the BJMP Spox said.