MANILA - The lead prosecutor in the case of convicted killer Claudio Teehankee Jr. has acknowledged the prerogative of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to grant executive clemency, but urged the public to be watchful for more midnight pardons, saying outgoing presidents have the propensity to grant such.
Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa Ignacio noted the government’s failure in observing the rules in granting executive clemency, saying there should have been publication of the name of the convict and a notice to the convicting trial judge, prosecutors, and the offended party.
"Was there any publication of the name of Mr. Teehankee, and then there should also be notice to the convicting trial judge, prosecutors office and the offended party. Did they notify the family of Hultman, did they notify the family of Mr. Chapman?" he told reporters when interviewed at the House of Representatives.
Asked what could be done in this light, he said, "Wala na, sa susunod bantayan na lang natin [Nothing. We should just be more vigilant next time]."
He observed that outgoing presidents could sometimes go into midnight pardon sprees before they leave office. He said the pardons granted by former US president Bill Clinton shortly before he stepped down generated a lot of controversy.
Financier Marc Rich, businessman Almon Glenn Braswell, and Roger Clinton Jr., the president's half-brother, were among the 140individuals then President Clinton pardoned during his last day in office.
The GOP-led Congress investigated these pardons in 2001 -- the familial and financial connections between the White House and those pardoned. The legal issues that the three have faced over the past six years have ranged from drug charges to fraud to tax evasion, reports said.
"Sa US naging issue iyan, … nag-react ang US Congress na dapat bigyan ng 60 days [It became an issue in the US … the US Congress reacted that there should be 60 days] to review and then recommend for recall, but this did not become a law. That could be very well adopted here, so that there will be checks and balance," Villa Ignacio said.
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