CBCP Official to Noy: ‘Review’ Clemency Process

MANILA, Oct. 19, 2010- President Benigno Aquino III's power given under the Constitution in granting executive clemency cannot be questioned.

But given the speed with which the rebel soldiers were given amnesty, the process should be reviewed for it to be more efficient, an official of the CBCP's Commission on Prison Pastoral Care said.

He said Aquino's granting of amnesty as a gesture for reconciliation to the mutineers should not be the basis in releasing law offenders since it does not constitute restorative justice.

"People should not just enter prison to be made to suffer... there has to be some sort of restoration or rehabilitation," said Diamante.

In the case of the more than 300 soldiers who were involved in three military uprisings against the Arroyo administration, he said Aquino's granting of amnesty was apparently "not rehabilitation driven."

"He should have basis. As I said, when there is mistake committed there should also be accountability," Diamante said.

Asked whether he is convinced that the decision was a political one, the CBCP official said, "definitely."

"I think it's a political act. It's a political act of the president when [he] grants amnesty... because he wants to have some sort of reconciliation with the soldiers," he said.

"Whether we like it or not, the system of granting clemency is political by nature... not only in this administration but also during the past administrations."

He said it's hard for Aquino to justify that he is not mocking the justice system because of the more deserving "common prisoners" that are still in jails for several years already compared to the rebel soldiers.

"How would you explain that? Something's really wrong here," he said.

He called on the government to institute the much needed reforms in the country's penal system as well as the process of granting presidential pardon.

"There should be checks and balances in the system if we really want our pardon policy to be untainted," Diamante said. [CBCPNews]