Ninoy soldiers want absolute pardon

MANILA, Philippines – After receiving executive clemency and a commuted sentence, the convicted murderers of former senator Benigno Aquino Jr. and his alleged assassin Rolando Galman now want absolute pardon from President Arroyo so they can claim benefits from the military and move on as ordinary citizens.

This was confirmed by Chief Public Attorney Persida Rueda-Acosta who had earlier lobbied for the granting of executive clemency to the 13 surviving convicts in the Aquino-Galman double murder case. The 13 members of the defunct Aviation Security Command were Master Sergeant Pablo Martinez; Sergeants Arnulfo Artates,

Ruben Aquino, Rolando De Guzman, Rodolfo Desolong, Arnulfo De Mesa,

Ernesto Mateo, Felomino Miranda, Rogelio Moreno, and Felizardo Taran;

Technical Sergeant Claro Lat; First Lieutenant Jesus Castro; and

Captain Romeo Bautista.

In a letter, they asked Bureau of Pardons and Parole executive director Reynaldo Bayang to request the President to grant them absolute pardon.

“We would like to request for Your Honor’s assistance in connection with the commutation of sentence that was given to each one of us, for it to be amended and upgraded to absolute pardon so that our civil and political rights could be restored,” the letter signed by Acosta stated.

Acosta said the soldiers applied for absolute pardon because “they want to be able to vote, claim their retirement benefits being members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to work, and acquire property under their names.”

“Since before our incarceration, we were all employed in the military service. We would like to serve the public once again by joining the government,” the letter read.

“However, most of us cannot be employed in any government office because of disqualification from public service,” they said.

“There is a need for a presidential intervention under the Constitution for us to have the full restoration of our civil and political rights as well as for us to recover whatever government and terminal leave benefits that had accrued in our favor,” they added.

Asked what could be the bases for asking for absolute pardon, Acosta said “their innocence, forensic findings and recommendation of bishops.”

Martinez was released in 2007 after he was granted clemency while the others were released this year through a commutation of sentence.

Last Feb. 6, De Guzman and Taran received clemency.

A total of 16 soldiers, including a general, were convicted in connection with the Aquino assassination in 1983. They were sentenced to two life terms. They maintained that Rolando Galman, the alleged assassin, shot Aquino dead.

The general, Luther Custodio, died of cancer, while two others died in detention.