Widow of ex-PBA cager forgives paroled killer

The widow of a former PBA player Arnulfo "Arnie" Tuadles said she has forgiven her husband’s killer a long time ago as she welcomed the release of former Games and Amusement Board official Albert "Ambet" Antonio from jail.

Suzette Tuadles said she hopes Antonio leads a more righteous life this time now that he has been given a second chance.

"The best thing that he can do is to straighten out his life," she said.

"My concern now is have my kids graduate from college."

Antonio was sent to prison after he shot and killed the basketball star at the International Business Club in Greenhills on Nov. 2, 1996 over a heated card game.

A lower court initially sentenced Antonio to 30 years in prison for killing Tuadles, but the Supreme Court lowered this to 14 years after he appealed the verdict. The high tribunal also reduced Antonio’s crime from murder to homicide in July 2000.

He was released on parole last Wednesday.

Meanwhile, an official from the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) said the conditional pardon has not put Antonio in a better situation.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Antonio would have been better off by waiting for a full parole grant or expiration of sentence.

"I don’t think he would be in a convenient position because under a conditional pardon, going out of your house is like challenging the gods of luck," the source explained.

The official said Antonio would be restricted to his home in Greenhills, San Juan. Under this condition, neighbors would be the ones to police him.

Probation and parole administration officials of the justice department have coordinated with Antonio’s neighbors, who would supervise him.

"If Antonio violates any rules and goes outside his home, he would be apprehended and brought back to his cell here," the source said.

The NBP official revealed that most convicts usually violate their conditional pardon grants. Majority of conditional pardon grantees go back a month after they are released.