79 more convicts spared from death

President Arroyo has commuted to life terms the sentences of 79 more death convicts, several of them women, Malacañang announced yesterday.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Mrs. Arroyo signed the commutation order on May 4, two days before she left for Macau and Saudi Arabia last Saturday.

In the memorandum addressed to Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez and the Bureau of Corrections, Ermita announced the names of the 79 convicts whose death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment.

Among them are Jumbrah Manap, Jonel Manio, Ponce Manuel, Tomas Marcellana, Angelito Martinez, Renato Mendez, Fernando Morales, Romeo Navarette, Carlito Oliva;

Eduardo Pabillare, Arthur Pangilinan, Ramon Pasawilan, Rodolfo Pepito, Jesus Perez, Benley Pua, Nelson Pua, Pampilo Quimson, Roel Revilla, Romeo Reyes, Eric Ricafranco, Virgilio Rodavia;

Juan Rosario, Alon Sacaria, Maximo Salvador, Jimmel Sanidad, Pablo Santos, Ricardo Santos, Abadilla Silongan, Macapagal Silongan, Camilo Soriano, Ruben Suriaga, Johnny Tadena, Dexter Tagle, Edwin Tampos, Lucelo Untalar, Segundo Valencia, Blesie Velasco, Romeo Victorino, Jose Villanueva and Reynaldo Yambot.

The others include Nilo Ardon, Akmad Awal, Gerardo Bacungay, Generosa Basilan, Alma Bisda, Baltazar Bongalon, Dominador Cachola, Eduardo Calderon, Conrado Canada;

Jaime Carpio, Elizabeth Castillo, Genaro Cayabyab, Antonio Comadre, Love Joy de Guzman, Marlow de Guzman, Rolando Deduyo, Piloy dela Serna, Domingo Deroy, Edgardo Dimaano, Severino Dulay, Elvie Ejandra, Tacio Emilion;

Carlos Escano, Dominador Gomez, Alejandro Guntang, Juliet Harisco, Oscar Ibao, Roche Ibao, Warlito Ibao, Cris Iglesia, Jimmy Jacob, Rolly Lamalan, Jacinto Linnam, Danilo Lobitania, Arnold Lopez, Leonito Lorenzo, Cirilo Magalona, Arturo Malit and Juan Manalo.

In her Easter Sunday message last April 16, Mrs. Arroyo announced the commutation of sentences of about a thousand death convicts to life imprisonment.

The President also sought the repeal of the Death Penalty Law by Congress, certifying as urgent all proposals to repeal the law and abolish capital punishment in the country.

After assuming the presidency in 2001, Mrs. Arroyo declared a moratorium on all executions.

The spate of kidnappings and heinous crimes in 2003, however, prompted her to lift the moratorium.

However, no execution has been carried out under her administration as she has always granted reprieves to those condemned to die by lethal injection.

Palace officials pointed out the President has been consistent in her resolve to stop executions during her administration.

She had commuted the sentences of 104 inmates as of March 21 this year, of which 80 cases had been affirmed by the Supreme Court.

While there are currently 1,222 death convicts, only the 80 cases would so far be covered by Mrs. Arroyo’s policy as the rest have yet to be affirmed by the Supreme Court.