DOJ seeks standardization of reward system for pardon of inmates

MANILA—The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday said it wants to standardize the computation of good conduct and time allowances to hasten the release of elderly inmates in line with the executive clemency ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte.

DOJ Undersecretary Reynante Orceo said that the carpeta or the record of inmates’ sentences both from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penelogy (BJMP) and the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) must be standardized.

The BJMP is under the Department of Interior and Local Government while the BuCor is under the DOJ.

”Ang recommendation namin isa na lang sana gawin natin process standardilization ang tawag ko dun isa na lang sana ang computation mula sa computation ng BJMP hanggang sa BuCor dala dala niya yung carpeta niya kaya dapat magkaroon ng single Carpeta system wherein the computation of isang inmate yung nakakulong sa BJMP na facilities ay carry over sa BuCor kasi from BuCor ito na yung total computation para marecommend sa Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP) yung executive clemency so BPP kasi ito yung pinka last stop na recommendations papunta sa Presidente,” Orceo told reporters after the 27 convicts received certificate of conditional and commutation pardons on Tuesday in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s order granting executive clemency to 127 convicts held at New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said that of the 27 inmates awarded, only four were granted conditional pardon while 23 were awarded commutations of sentence and all will be able to go home on Tuesday.

Aguirre said that one inmate identified as Rogelio Malagutnot, who was granted commutation of sentence last Feb. 22, passed away just two days prior to the grant.

”From 27, namatay ang isa four were conditional pardon, 23 commutation dito sa (first) batch na ito lalaya tapos na sentence will be freed today,” he said.

”Yung commutation walang pardon walang pinapardon sa iyong pagkakasala ang ginagawa lamang nito halimbawa sentensiya sayo habang buhay 30-40 years pwede gawin ng Presidente magsilbi lamang 20 year na lamang pinaiksi pamamagitan ng commutation sentence ay lahat ng ito ay napagsilbihan na nila pinaiksi ang sentensiya,” he added.

Executive clemency is a power of the President to pardon any prisoner, provided for under Article VII, Section 19 of the Constitution and pertains to reprieve, absolute or conditional pardon with or without parole conditions and commutation of sentence.

Parole on the other hand is the conditional release of a prisoner from a correctional institution after he or she has served the minimum of his or her sentence.

The DOJ Chief also announced that 19 more inmates from 127 will soon be free after President Duterte approved their pardons and commutations of sentence.

He noted that aside from the 127 elderly inmates, there have been 1,245 inmates who were granted parole under the first seven months of President Duterte. (PNA)