9 more convicts get pardon

President Arroyo has granted executive clemency to nine seriously ill inmates convicted of drug-related cases, Malacañang said yesterday.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the nine inmates, who are serving sentence for drug-related offenses, were pardoned since they are suffering from serious medical conditions.

The inmates were Rodolfo Andres, 73, suffering from ischemic heart disease; Antonio Comia, 64, with diabetes and mellitus ischemic heart hypertension; Andro Labajo, 26, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Andrea Larano, 54, with brain tumor, hypertensive cardiovascular disease and diabetes; Antonio Lee, 65, with pancreatic mass malignancy choleccystitis; Fortunato Mejilla Jr., 45, with pulmonary tuberculosis stage IV; Rogelio Milado, 60, with post CVA and hypertension; Alma Rizalado, 36, with rectal carcinoma stage 11; and Renato Salao, 43, with diabetes, pneumonia and diabetic neuropathy.

The nine inmates were convicted for the sale, administration, dispensation, delivery, transportation, distribution, importation, possession or use of prohibited and regulated drugs.

Ermita said the conditional pardon was recommended after taking into consideration the age and physical condition of the inmates and the number of years served in prison.

"They were recommended for pardon for humanitarian reasons and to prevent a miscarriage of justice or mitigate whatever harshness may be generated by the strict application of the law," he said.

Ermita noted that prisoners convicted of drug-related offenses were normally not considered for conditional pardon and commutation of sentence.

"But in the interest of justice, the President has, on several occasions, granted executive clemency to prisoners convicted of drug-related offenses," he said. — Aurea Calica