MANILA - The family of rape-slay convict Antonio Sanchez on Tuesday stressed that they have no intention to pay millions in damages to the families of the former mayor's victims Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez.

In a Senate inquiry, Elvira Sanchez maintained her husband's innocence when asked by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon if he had paid up the P12,671,900 in damages to families of both victims as ordered by the Supreme Court.

"Laging paulit-ulit namin sinasabi bakit kami magbabayad wala naman pong kasalanan ang aking asawa?" said Mrs. Sanchez.

(We have repeatedly said why will we pay when my husband is innocent?)

"Wala po talaga kaming intensiyon," Mrs. Sanchez said when Drilon asked again.

(We really have no intention [of paying].)

The wife of the former Calauan, Laguna Mayor insisted that Sanchez was with them on the day the students were allegedly killed.

Sanchez was sentenced in 1995 to 7 terms of reclusion perpetua (40 years each) over the rape-slay of Sarmenta and killing of Gomez.

In an earlier interview, the families of Sarmenta and Gomez said they have yet to receive any compensation from the camp of Sanchez and his cohorts even after the High Court ordered them to pay.

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"Kahit isang kusing wala (not a single cent)," Sarmenta's mother Maria Clara told ANC's Early Edition in late August.

"None at all," Gomez's mother Iluminada said.