GMA pardons 53 inmates

President Arroyo has granted conditional pardon to 53 more inmates, 38 of whom are 70 years old and above and serving sentence by final judgment.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the President took into consideration the age, crime committed, physical condition and years served in granting executive clemency.

"This is to prevent a miscarriage of justice or mitigate whatever harshness that may be generated by the strict application of the law," he told reporters during his regular press conference.

The 38 male elderly inmates are part of the 42 who had been previously granted commutation of sentence by the President in September last year, Ermita said. The three others have died in detention

Those granted pardon are: Francisco Aquino, Domingo Bautista, Adolfo Belga, Arsenio Borja, Federico Consolacion, Silvestre de Baguio, Sofronio Esmania, Emeterio Ferreroa, Crispin Florendo, Laurentino Fortuno, Francisco Gunabe, Gaudencio Ignacio, Feliciano Lacaocao, Sergio Lagnason, Geronimo Laguatan, Benjamin Lim, Teopano Lope, Julian Magtagad Sr. and Romulo Maldos.

Others in the list are: Sancho Manliguez, Mariano Martinez, Elmero Mesa, Anatalio Molina, Onofre Nunez, Apolinario Ormido, Paulino Orot, Juan Penarobia, Martiniano Pillarda, Benjamin Razonable, Pedro Reyes, Rafael Salalima, Crisologo Seletaria, Hanibal Silverio, Felicisimo Solayao, Cornelio Tabaldo, Pablo Ventura, Pedro Villamor and Sixto Vinas Sr.

On the other hand, 15 women were also among those granted executive clemency. They are: Luzviminda Borja, Vivencia Cabarloc, Elizabeth Corral, Maria Carmen Fuentes, Epifania Dumali, Celia Gapuz, Nena Guaro, Editha Inso, Natividad Lopez, Annie Madali, Ildefonsa Montemayor, Cresencia Reyes, Lorna Reyes, Girlie Serquina and Thelma Villaroxas.