Guingona to review RP parole system

Senate Minority Leader Teofisto Guingona Jr. sought yesterday a review of the country's penal system which he said is more oriented in reforming and rehabilitating a criminal rather than punishing him for the crimes he has committed.

Guingona aired his appeal as the Senate committee on justice and human rights begin its probe today on the circumstances surrounding the issuance of a conditional pardon to convicted murder Norbert Manero Jr.

In his weekly radio program, the senator said the controversial pardon of Manero was a product of the country's penal system which allows a convicted criminal who had served a certain period of time access to pardon or parole.

"That's why it's now called bureau of correction, not bureau of prison," he said. "Rehabilitation is the real objective."

Guingona, a former Justice secretary during the Ramos administration, said a criminal sentenced to life imprisonment can only serve a maximum 40 years in jail.

He said the Board of Pardon and Parole has rules that allows convicts to have shortened jail terms.

"We want to find out if there are loopholes and weaknesses in these rules," he said.

Guingona proposed that convicts who have committed heinous crimes be exempt from the existing rules on the granting of pardon and parole.

He explained that the case of Manero and his brothers, who were all convicted of killing Italian priest Tulio Favali in 1985, was more serious than the case of convicted child rapist Leo Echegaray who was meted the death penalty last year.

However, he said the country's present laws do not consider the status of personalities involved in a crime.

"For every rule there is always an exception," he said. "The problem is how to deal with the exception.