President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has granted executive clemency to 22 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), the Bureau of Corrections said.
Of the 22 PDLs, two were granted conditional pardons, while 20 were granted commutation of service.
Executive clemency refers to the commutation of sentence, conditional pardon, and absolute pardon based on the recommendation by the Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Bureau of Corrections Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said that they will process the release of PDLs Alfredo Bongcawel and his brother Leopoldo who were granted conditional pardon that they shall not again violate any of our penal laws and PDLs Roberto Gaut and Pablito Alvaran Jr. who have served their maximum sentence. The rest who have served their minimum sentence will be subjected to review and completion of their documentary requirements prior to application for parole of the following: Evelyn Palarca, Dioscoro Talapian, Venancio Abanes, Avelino Tadina, Fernando San Jose, Quirino De Torres, Bonifacio Besana, Bernabe Cabrales, Anselmo Delas Alas, Arcadio Venzon, Danilo Cabase, Beverly Tibo-Tan, Aurora Ambrocio, Felipe Galarion, Armando Dante, Leopoldo Conlu, Alex Valencerina, and Alfredo Toral.
The Boncales brothers who were convicted of murder and sentenced to reclusion perpetua have already served almost 30 years each of their sentence while Gaut who was sentenced to reclusion perpetua for the crime of murder was commuted his sentence from 27 to 32 years and Alvaran’s sentence was commuted to determinate prison terms of 19 years.
Alvaran was convicted for three counts of violation of Presidential
Decree 533 or the Anti-Cattle Rusting Law and one count of PD 1612 or the Anti-Fencing Law.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla upon the recommendation of BuCor approved the release of eight PDLs whose time served with time allowances have already reached at least 40 years.
Ordered release were Zaldy Francisco, Benedicto Ramos, David Garcia, Bernardo de Guzman, Rodel Garcia, Armando Canillo, Edilberto Platon and Josefina Patanao.
Based on their prison records, they were sentenced to at least one
count of reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment.
Under Department Order 652 dated November 22, 2022 the release of all PDLs incarcerated in national penitentiaries with expired sentences shall be approved by the Director General of BuCor or his duly authorized representative, in accordance with the mandate of the Bureau.
The release of PDLs sentenced to life imprisonment or reclusion
perpetua or those classified as high-risk/high-profile shall be
implemented only upon prior approval of the Secretary of Justice.
To ensure that the release of PDLs who have completed the service of their sentence shall not be delayed, pending the approval of the
Secretary of Justice, it shall be the duty of the Director General of
the BuCor to submit the necessary documents for the evaluation and
approval of the Secretary of Justice not later than three months prior to the expected date of release of the PDLs concerned.