Palace defends clemency grant to mastermind in Cochise-Beebom case

MANILA, Philippines - A senior Malacañang official on Friday defended President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's grant of clemency to the mastermind in the Cochise-Beebom double murder case, saying the President was merely following a worldwide "trend" for a "corrective" penal system. In a radio interview, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde maintained that what President Arroyo did in granting clemency to businessman Rodolfo Manalili was "ministerial." Manalili was convicted for the killing of Ernesto "Cochise" Bernabe II and Ana Lourdes "Beebom" Castaños in April 1990. "Kailangan we also have to remember na ang ating penal system sa Pilipinas at buong mundo tinatawag na corrective ang measure. Meaning ang nagkakasala after serving sentence in good behavior binibigyan ng chance to redeem themselves at makapagbagong buhay. Alam nating mahirap tanggapin yan but we should also understand yan ang trend ngayon ng penal system di lang sa Pilipinas kundi sa buong mundo," Remonde said over radio dzXL. [We also have to remember that our penal system in the Philippines and around the world is centered on correcting the criminal. This means criminals get a chance to redeem themselves after serving their sentences. We should understand this is the trend for penal systems not just here but also around the world.] But Remonde said the Palace understands the "sentiment and feelings" of the families of the victims, as it understands the feelings of families of victims of similar crimes. Nonetheless, he said Mrs. Arroyo’s granting of clemency was “ministerial" as far as the issue is concerned. "Yan ay nasa batas at yan kasi just in accordance with established rules and regulations. Talagang ministerial lang talaga ginagawa ng pangulo sa issue na yan [That is in the law so what the President did was ministerial]," he said. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita announced on Thursday that the life sentence of Manalili was commuted last March 26. A lower court had found Manalili, Roberto Lising, Felimon Garcia, Robin Manga and Enrico Dizon guilty for the murders and sentenced them to double life imprisonment in 1992. The Supreme Court affirmed the conviction in January 1998. Bernabe, 26, a fresh graduate from the UP College of Law, and Castaños, 22, a graduating Mass Communications student also from UP, were seized from a restaurant in Quezon City on April 25, 1990. They were killed in Pampanga and their bodies were found two months later. - GMANews.TV