GMA grants conditional pardon to 56 death row convicts

President Arroyo granted conditional pardon to 56 inmates and commuted the sentence of a young offender last June 18 in time for Father’s Day.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Mrs. Arroyo commuted the sentence of a certain Federico Evangelista and gave conditional pardon to 56 inmates whose documents would still need to be evaluated.

Those granted pardon were Virgilio Adrales, Delfin Ayo, Eduardo Ballesteros, Catalino Baynosa Sr., Andres Clemente, Modesto Damian, Mario de Leon, Cecilio Espiritu, Federico Gialolo, Benjamin Helit, Angel Jurada, Antonio Panganiban, Teofilo Pantaleon, Pedro Penza, Domingo Perez, Jose Quila, Juan Rodelas, Nestor Velasquez, Billy Villalobos and Ramon Villanueva Sr.;

Edgardo Abadies, Rodolfo Abastillas, Marcelino Anastacio Jr., Mario Arogante, Melanio Bag-ay, Elmario Bautista, Fernando Berber, Nestor Briones, Crisanto Cano, Eduardo Dangkin, Eduardo Diego, Benjamin Diezmo, Victor Eugenio, Zacarias Fabiolas, Pascual Huertas and Jaime Jimenez;

Doroteo Labajo, Antonio Magana, Marcelino Maguikay, Arthur Manuel, Raul Oco, Nick Perucho, Marcelino Polias, Yamashito Ronquillo, Mario Roxas, Theodore Sy, Robenson Tambo, Simeon Tampus Jr., Tomas Tundag, Marciano Villocido Sr., Danilo Cuyugan, Medardo Ardina Jr., Bimboy Arana, Michael Babe, Reynaldo Ceniza and Roberto Gavica.

Ermita said the release of the inmates would be subject to all stipulations indicated in their documents. Their documents will be forwarded to the Department of Justice (DoJ), the Bureau of Corrections in Muntinlupa City, the Board of Pardons and Parole and the Correctional Institute for Women for evaluation before they are finally released.

Ermita said Mrs. Arroyo has been granting conditional pardons out of compassion and on humanitarian grounds.

The President is also set to sign a bill abolishing the death penalty this Saturday before she leaves for an official European trip. — Aurea Calica