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Palace defends Arroyo decision to release Teehankee


MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Tuesday defended President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s order to release convicted killer Claudio Teehankee Jr. A report over radio dzBB quoted Press Secretary Jesus Dureza as saying that Teehankee’s release underwent intensive deliberations and followed a legal process. Dureza also refuted other claims that Teehankee’s commutation smacked of politics. Earlier in the day, United Opposition spokesperson and lawyer Adel Tamano said that President Arroyo misused executive clemency and stressed there must be other prisoners who deserve to be pardoned. "Na-misuse ang power ng executive clemency. The reason why the Constitution gives this to the president, it is an admission minsan nagkakamali ang judicial system (The power of executive clemency was misused. The reason why the Constitution gave the power of executive clemency to the president, it is an admission that the judicial system is not perfect)," he said in an interview on dzBB radio. "Bakit siya ang binigyan ng pardon? There must be other more deserving persons. Why him in particular? Is it because mayaman siya? O may koneksiyon siya? (Why was he given pardon? There must be other more deserving persons? Why him in particular? Is it because he’s rich or he has connections?)," Tamano asked. Teehankee, son of the late Chief Justice Claudio Teehankee Sr, was convicted in 1995 for the murder of Roland John Chapman and Swedish-Filipino Maureen Hultman. Teehankee was sentenced to one count of reclusion perpetua and two counts of prison mayor to reclusion temporal, which carry a jail term of 20 to 40 years and 12 to 20 years, respectively. Court records showed that Chapman, Hultman, and another friend, 21-year-old Jussi Leino, were coming home in Dasmarinas Village, Makati from a party in the wee hours of July 13, 1991 when they were accosted by Teehankee who asked for identification. When Chapman - who was described in earlier news reports as the son of a US Embassy communications officer - inquired what Teehankee wanted, Teehankee shot Chapman, killing him instantly. Teehankee then pointed his gun at Leino and told him to sit down on the pavement. Teehankee then turned to Hultman whom he also ordered to sit on the pavement. He then shot Leino who was hit in the jaw. He then fired at Hultman, who sustained a gunshot wound in the temple. Teehankee then left. Leino survived the rampage while Hultman died Oct 17, 1991 or two months later in hospital due to brain hemorrhages caused by the bullet fragments. Teehankee was arrested later on the testimony of several witnesses. - GMANews.TV
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