69 more inmates under review for pardon

MANILA, Philippines - The Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP) is vetting 69 more inmates for possible executive clemency.

In a public notice published in The STAR yesterday, the BPP listed the names of the candidates for presidential pardon and invited the public to participate in the vetting process by sending comments, objections or information on the prisoners not later than 30 days after the publication of the notice.

The announcement was signed by BPP executive director Reynaldo Bayang.

The new list brought to 425 the total number of inmates currently being reviewed by the board, which also announced last June it was reviewing the cases of 356 other inmates applying for presidential pardon.

In November last year, the BPP recommended 47 inmates for executive clemency. The decision, however, remains pending at the Palace.

President Aquino had wanted to grant the executive clemency to qualified inmates during the visit of Pope Francis in the country last January as a “gift” to the pontiff.

The Bureau of Corrections and Department of Justice submitted a list of inmates recommended to pardon, but no pardon was granted during the papal visit.

The Palace then said the President would thoroughly review the list before issuing the decision.

Executive clemency, which is a power given to the President to pardon any prisoner, provided for under Article VII, Section 19 of the Constitution, pertains to reprieve, absolute or conditional pardon with or without parole conditions and commutation of sentence.

On the other hand, parole is the conditional release of a prisoner from a correctional institution after the person has served the minimum of his sentence.

It has been the practice of Malacañang to grant executive clemency to prisoners during the Christmas season.

Last February, a 91-year-old inmate was released from the Correctional Institute for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City after being granted parole.

Petra Lukingan was reunited with her family in Kalinga province. Her grandson, Police Officer 2 Dominick Lukingan, was one of the Special Action Force commandos of the Philippine National Police who survived the clash with Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Jan. 25.

She was released upon issuance of the release order from the BPP. Lukingan was convicted of four counts of falsification of documents, according to CIW chief Edilinda Patac.