2 senators question grant of clemency on Cochise-Beebom murderer

MANILA, Philippines - Two senators on Friday questioned President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s granting of clemency to double murder convict Rodolfo Manalili. Sen. Francis Escudero said granting a clemency was not ministerial as the President, who has the sole prerogative to grant it, could also choose reject any application. "It is still discretionary. That is why it is important that she hears all the sides before she makes a decision. The grant now becomes an informed judgment," Escudero said. With this, he called for a more transparent process in the grant of executive clemency or presidential pardon to convicted criminals to prevent any speculation of impropriety. “While the power to pardon and commute sentences is absolute, it should be exercised with utmost transparency in order to afford all interested parties the opportunity to be heard and their position and opinion be considered before the President decides," Escudero said in a press statement. Manalili, along with four others, was been sentenced to a double life term for the abduction and killing of Ernesto "Cochise" Bernabe II and his girlfriend Ana Lourdes “Beebom" Castaños in 1990. He said the Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP), which recommends clemency for prisoners, should make public its actions on applications made by qualified convicts. “The BPP should inform all interested parties, particularly the families of the victims, whenever someone is being evaluated for possible clemency or pardon," Escudero said. He said families of the victims can file an opposition to any application before the BPP or even in courts, if warranted. “Informing the families of victims must be given an opportunity to oppose or build a case against the application for clemency, if they so choose. What happens now is we are being surprised by the grant of clemencies left and right," Escudero said. He said granting of clemency is one government process where transparency is of utmost importance. “The grant of clemency to a prisoner evokes strong emotions, especially from the families of the victims. We should not take this lightly, as this administration does," Escudero said. Victimized twice over For his part, Sen. Francis Pangilinan said the executive clemency on Manalili “is victimizing the murdered victims and their families twice over." “The decision to grant clemency to Manalili is deplorable. The murders of Cochise and Beebom were gruesome and totally reprehensible," Pangilinan said. He asked how the President would feel “if her son or daughter were victims too like Cochise and Beebom?" He said the clemency sent “an awful signal to ordinary citizens that our system of justice cannot be relied upon to ensure that justice and those guilty of heinous offenses are effectively punished for their unforgivable, dastardly acts." The senator also questioned the President’s seemingly “murderers clemency spree," asking if there were deeper stories behind recent commutations of sentences to convicts. "Cochise was a close friend and he was a high school and college bosom buddy," Pangilinan said, adding that the family of the victims relayed to him their fears that the release of the convicted killer might place their lives at risk. “Manalili was found guilty of engaging hired killers to eliminate his foes. What guarantee do they have that he won’t hire new killers to avenge his conviction? We are outraged by this grant of clemency," Pangilinan said. - GMANews.TV