A priest who stood as prosecution witness in the 1985 murder of Italian priest Fr. Tullio Favali in Tulunan, North Cotabato appealed yesterday to President Estrada to recall the pardon granted to one of Favali's killers, Norberto Manero.
Fr. Peter Jeremiah, who claimed he was the Manero brothers' first target for liquidation, made the appeal during a courtesy call on the President at Malacañang. He was accompanied by Bishop Romulo Valles of the Diocese of Kidapawan in North Cotabato and Fenny Tatad, wife of Sen. Francisco Tatad.
Emerging from the meeting, Valles told The STAR Mr. Estrada assured them the government would take a second look at the executive clemency given to Manero, who was released from the state prison in Muntinlupa City last Dec. 16.
"The President told us he will ask Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora to review it," Valles said.
The prelate also said the President vowed to order a review of the recommendation to grant parole to Manero's two brothers who were also convicted of the Favali murder.
Valles revealed that the same petition was submitted to the Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP), to the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, to the papal nuncio in the Philippines and to the senators and congressmen.
"We do favor the release of prisoners who are no longer a threat to society, but not those who can cause great alarm for many people. With the precarious peace and order condition in the province of Cotabato, the release of the Manero brothers can be a dangerous sign to the fears and insecurities of our people," Valles' letter stated.
Another Favali compatriot, Fr. Gianni Sandalo, handed out a statement by the Pontifical Institute of Missionaries in the Philippines (PIME) expressing "deepest shock at the news of the presidential pardon given to Manero."
"We, the PIME fathers, don't criticize the prerogative of the President to offer his pardon. We believe that forgiveness and reconciliation are the most important aspects of our Christian and human attitude," the PIME statement said.
Sandalo stressed, however, that pardon and forgiveness "need evidence of repentance and willingness to change," which Manero allegedly failed to show.
"We believe that the release of Mr. Manero could be a dangerous sign of alarm to be added to the fears and insecurities of our people. Our duty is to protect them, to be with them and to denounce injustice," Sandalo said.
Malacañang rejected earlier calls for the revocation of Manero's pardon as BPP chairman Justice Undersecretary Ramon Liwag upheld the validity of the presidential clemency granted to the prisoner.
Meanwhile, Bohol Rep. Ernesto Herrera urged the President to order an investigation into the special treatment allegedly being given to Manero.
"This notorious killer and cannibal is being accorded special treatment as if he were a visiting head of state," the lawmaker noted.
Herrera, who was a former senator, was reacting to reports that Manero, upon arrival at the Manila domestic airport, was fetched by a Mercedez Benz limousine with special license plates RCA 888, and driven to the New World Hotel where he was billeted, with barong-clad security men.
A press conference for Manero was also arranged at the hotel, apparently at the expense of his mysterious benefactor who is allegedly a ranking government official.
"I am now making my own inquiries and as soon as I find out the identity of this benefactor, I will unmask him and tell the public why he is coddling a notorious criminal," Herrera said.
He also urged Justice Secretary Serafin Cuevas to reject Manero's request for a transfer of residence from Tulunan to Diliman in Quezon City.
Herrera said the President should rescind Manero's pardon so Favali's killer could be recommitted to the New Bilibid Prisons.
He also said Manero should have been disqualified from pardon because of his escape from confinement at the Davao Penal Colony. - With Jess Diaz