Criticisms greet Arroyo exec clemency on Teehankee

MANILA, Philippines – Opposition against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s order to release Claudio Teehankee Jr mounted Tuesday as various personalities and an anti-crime group cried foul over the grant of executive clemency to the convicted killer. In an interview at QTV’s Balitanghali, former senator and former Justice secretary Franklin Drilon said he was saddened by Teehankee’s release amid perceptions that well-connected, influential and rich convicts are getting priority in being granted parole. "Nakakalungkot po at ang akin, kaya nawawalan ng tiwala ang taong bayan sa administrasyong Arroyo dahil sa tingin nila, hindi pantay ang pagpapatupad ng batas, mayaman o mahirap (I am saddened. I think the public loses its trust on the Arroyo administration because to them, the administration of justice is not fair)," Drilon said. Drilon, who was Justice secretary when Teehankee was convicted in 1991, said that President Arroyo’s executive clemency only shows that her administration favors the rich and the influential. "Ang sa akin po ay hindi dapat na palayain siya dahil ang pangyayari po ay namaslang siya noon ng isang insosenteng dalaga… As secretary of Justice, sinikap namin na ma-convict si Mr. Teehankee dahil kailangan po ang tinign ng taong bayan ay pantay-pantay ang lahat sa batas (To me, Teehankee shouldn’t have been given executive clemency because he murdered an innocent young woman. When I was Justice Secretary, we made sure that Mr. Teehankee will be convicted because people need to know that everyone is equal before the law.) Drilon added that Teehankee’s release did not follow the proper process because the relatives of Teehankee’s victims’ were not informed nor consulted. "Dapat may publication [ang Board of Pardons and Parole] para mapag-bigyan ng pagkakataon ang pamilya ng biktima para sila ay makapag-object kung sila ay may objection (The Board of Pardons and Parole should make a publication prior to the release, so that families of the convict’s victims can have the opportunity to object)," Drilon said. Earlier in the day, opposition Senator Panfilo Lacson called on the Justice department to publicize an inventory of convicts in heinous crimes who were granted parole, with emphasis on their social status. "The DOJ, through the Board of Pardons and Parole, should make public an inventory of convicts in heinous crimes who are pardoned or paroled, with emphasis on their social status. Are the rich and influential getting the better part of the deal? Patas ba ang laban (Is everyone getting a fair shake)?" Lacosn said in a statement. At the same time, opposition spokesman and lawyer Adel Tamano said that President Arroyo misused executive clemency and stressed there must be other prisoners who deserve to be pardoned. "Na-misuse ang power ng executive clemency. The reason why the Constitution gives this to the president, it is an admission minsan nagkakamali ang judicial system (The power of executive clemency was misused. The reason why the Constitution gave the power of executive clemency to the president, it is an admission that the judicial system is not perfect)," Tamano said in an interview on dzBB radio. "Bakit siya ang binigyan ng pardon? There must be other more deserving persons. Why him in particular? Is it because mayaman siya? O may koneksiyon siya? (Why was he given pardon? There must be other more deserving persons? Why him in particular? Is it because he’s rich or he has connections?)," Tamano asked. "It is really unfair and unjust for the president to pardon Teehankee Jr., even if karapatan niya yan under our Constitution (It is really unfair and unjust for the president to pardon Teehankee even if it is her prerogative)," he said. For its part, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) scored the government for releasing Teehankee without informing the families of the victims. "It is really unfair and unjust for the president to pardon Teehankee Jr., even if karapatan niya yan under our Constitution (It is really unfair and unjust for the president to pardon Teehankee even if it is her prerogative)," said VACC founding chairman Dante Jimenez. Jimenez added that Teehankee’s release has left kin of victims of other heinous crimes on the edge, fearing other "murderers" would be pardoned soon. "Natatakot na ang biktima ng karahasan, tulad ni Lauro Vizconde na kausap ko kagabi. Natatakot siya baka susunod na palalayain ang nag-massacre sa pamilya niya. These are things that make us really uncomfortable (Victims of violence like Lauro Vizconde are scared. Lauro Vizconde is scared because the killers of his family could next to be pardoned and released)," Jimenez said in a radio interview. Palace defense Malacañang, however, defended President Arroyo’s order and said that Teehankee’s release underwent intensive deliberations and followed a legal process. Press Secretary Jesus Dureza also refuted other claims that Teehankee’s commutation smacked of politics. Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales likewise said that the granting of executive clemency to Teehankee was in accordance with court rules. "Everything went by the rules here. His records have been reviewed by the Board of Pardons and Parole before a recommendation was given to the President," Gonzalez said. But Gonzales had also admitted that a "reminder" from Ambassador Manuel Teehankee played a key role in the release of Claudio Jr. Gonzales, however, clarified that the petition for clemency had been pending for three years. He added that three years ago, Ambassador Manuel Teehankee was still a Justice undersecretary. He added that while Teehankee had not served his full sentence, he had earned enough good behavior credits to have his sentence commuted. 1991 murder Teehankee, son of the late Chief Justice Claudio Teehankee Sr, was convicted in 1995 for the murder of Roland John Chapman and Swedish-Filipino Maureen Hultman. Teehankee was sentenced to one count of reclusion perpetua and two counts of prison mayor to reclusion temporal, which carry a jail term of 20 to 40 years and 12 to 20 years, respectively. Court records showed that Chapman, Hultman, and another friend, 21-year-old Jussi Leino, were coming home in Dasmarinas Village, Makati from a party in the wee hours of July 13, 1991 when they were accosted by Teehankee who asked for identification. When Chapman - who was described in earlier news reports as the son of a US Embassy communications officer - inquired what Teehankee wanted, Teehankee shot Chapman, killing him instantly. Teehankee then pointed his gun at Leino and told him to sit down on the pavement. Teehankee then turned to Hultman whom he also ordered to sit on the pavement. He then shot Leino who was hit in the jaw. He then fired at Hultman, who sustained a gunshot wound in the temple. Teehankee then left. Leino survived the rampage while Hultman died Oct 17, 1991 or two months later in hospital due to brain hemorrhages caused by the bullet fragments. Teehankee was arrested later on the testimony of several witnesses. - GMANews.TV