Give Teehankee a chance, says lawyer in Hultman murder case

MANILA, Philippines - A lawyer for the Hultmans during the Maureen Hultman murder case on Wednesday said he has no objection to the executive clemency granted to Claudio Teehankee Jr, the convicted killer. "I've no objection to the pardon. He's supposed to be a reformed man. He's learned his lesson. Let's give him a chance,” Rogelio Vinluan said, adding that he is the "compassionate type." At the same time, Vinluan said he does not see anything wrong with Teehankee’s younger brother, Manuel, soliciting Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez’s help for the granting of pardon. Vinluan admitted being Manuel Teehankee’s friend. Manuel Teehankee was a former Justice undersecretary and the current Philippine Ambassador to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. "Hindi na siya Usec (he’s no longer undersecretary) so I think that's quite understandable," Vinluan said, referring to the meeting between Manuel Teehankee and Gonzalez about a month ago to discuss the granting of executive clemency to Claudio Jr. "I don't see anything wrong with that. Kapatid 'yon… Kaibigan ko rin si Manuel Teehankee (I don’t see anything wrong with that meeting. That’s expected from a brother," Vinluan added. The lawyer however said he is wondering why the release was done in such a quiet and almost secretive manner, saying the government should have been transparent in granting Claudio Jr’s release. "Dapat may transparency. Dapat may hearing (There should have been transparency, a hearing). The Hultmans should have been invited," he said. President Arroyo approved the granting of executive clemency to Claudio Jr by virtue of a letter dated October 2 to the Office of the National Bilibid Prisons Director. He had been in prison since 1991. Claudio Jr, in 1995, was convicted of murder for the death of Maureen, then 17 years old; of homicide for the death of Roland John Chapman, 21; and of frustrated murder for the wounding of Jussi Leino, 24. - with Carlo Lorenzo, GMANews.TV