PRESS Secretary Cerge Remonde assured that convicted rapist and former Zamboanga del Norte congressman Romeo Jalosjos would not be given special treatment and instead undergo normal procedures in his seeking absolute pardon from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Remonde said the Office of the President has yet to receive Jalosjos’s application as well as the recommendations of the Board of Pardon and Parole (BPP) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) on the matter.

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He added that when it comes to granting pardons, clemencies, and commutations of sentences, it is merely a “ministerial” duty for the President as all recommendations and approval come from the BPP and the DOJ.

He denied that Malacañang endorsed Jalosjos’s application following reports that he filed his bid directly with the Office of the President instead of coursing it through normal procedures.

But Remonde said if it were true, it would still be reverted back to the BPP and the DOJ for proper review and eventually decision.

“We vehemently deny that we are endorsing such application. We are treating the application of Mr. Jalosjos like any other applications and the Office of the President will wait. As I have pointed out several times in the past, when it comes to these things, it’s merely ministerial. We have not received any recommendations from BPP. Since there is no recommendation yet, the Palace can’t act on it,” he added.

Asked if the President’s being a woman would influence her decision on Jalosjos’s case, the Palace official said Arroyo is foremost a woman and second only as President.

“It will be the decided, or the case will solely be based on the merits and any discussion on that right now will be speculative because…we don’t have basis yet since the Office of the President has not received it. We will cross the bridge when we get there.”

Jalosjos was convicted of statutory rape by a Makati Regional Trial Court in December 1997 and sentenced to two life terms.

His sentenced was commuted in June 2007 to 16 years, three months and three days, but he was later released after a 12-years jail term due to good conduct.

Reports said he again filed for absolute pardon with the BPP last September 30. (JMR/Sunnex)