PANGILINAN:CLEMENCY TO MANALILI IS VICTIMIZING
MURDERED VICTIMS TWICE OVER

Independent senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan expressed outrage over President Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo's granting of clemency to convicted mastermind of Cochise-Beebom double murder in 1990.

"The decision to grant clemency to Rodolfo Manalili is deplorable. The murders of Cochise and Beebom were gruesome and totally reprehensible," said Pangilinan. "To grant clemency to a convict who had two persons murdered for the simple reason that the law allows for it is victimizing the murdered victims and their families twice over."

Pangilinan asked how the President would feel "if her son or daughter were victims too like Cochise and Beebom?" He added that this clemency sends "an awful signal to ordinary citizens that our system of justice cannot be relied upon to ensure that justice and those guilty of heinous offenses are effectively punished for their unforgivable, dastardly acts."

The senator also questions the President's seemingly 'murderers clemency spree', asking if there are deeper stories behind recent commutations of sentences to convicts.

"Cochise was a close friend and he was a high school and college bosom buddy. Their families have relayed to me their fears that the release of the convicted killer may place their lives at risk. Manalili was found guilty of engaging hired killers to eliminate his foes. What guarantee do they have that he won't hire new killers to avenge his conviction? We are outraged by this grant of clemency."