Saturday, October 27, 2007 Davao lawyers aren't impressed with pardon By Rhodamae M. Hernandez
FORMER president Joseph Estrada's pardon raised eyebrows among lawyers and even government prosecutors.
A government prosecutor who refused to be identified because he is with government said that aside from reconciliation, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is definitely planning for an "unholy" alliance with former president Estrada.
"Wala na man siya'y kakampi, kalaban na niya si Ramos, si de Venecia so wala na siya'y choice kundi amiguhon gyud si Erap (She no longer has allies. Former President Fidel V. Ramos is very vocal against her; she has a falling out with de Venecia. That leaves her with no choice but to make friends with Erap)," the prosecutor said.
Another lawyer, Ranoelo Leonar, said the pardon was a mockery of the integrity of our legal system.
"The haste in the approval of his request is not available to other persons equally situated, the grant was premised purely on political rather that rehabilatory or corrective considerations. Generally, the board of pardons review and recommend every application, in this case, every rule and regulation in the process of granting pardon was ignored," Leonar told Sun.Star Davao.
One defense lawyer said the pardon given by Arroyo to Estrada has certainly set a bad precedent in the criminal justice system but said that no one can question Arroyo's wisdom in granting absolute pardon for it is the sole prerogative of the president of the Philippines.
Another prosecutor said the pardon given to Erap was the exact opposite of what she is implementing.
"It goes against what the government and PGMA says about doing an all-out war against corruption. Just like that, the war goes down the drain for political convenience," the prosecutor told Sun.Star Davao.
Lawyer Jonah Denaque said t the exercise of executive clemency is repugnant to sound judicial practice. She said it may even pose adverse public opinions and may affect foreign relations.
A lawyer from a law enforcement agency said that the granting of the pardon was unfair to the other convicts.
"Unfair to other convicts because automatic ang pardon and very political ang accommodation. Nag-motion for reconsideration but was withdrawn because of PGMA's promise," he said.
Lawyer Marlon Manuel of the Alternative Law Groups Inc. said if the Sandiganbayan's conviction can be considered a triumph of the justice system, the grant of pardon clearly thwarted justice and reversed the gains that were earned by the justice system with the conviction.
