37 Elderly Prisoners Granted Presidential Pardon

Philippines- February 15, 2006

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo granted conditional pardon today to 37 elderly convicts at the New
Bilibid Prison (NBP) as part of the administration’s program to decongest and eventually privatize the
penal institution.

In a simple program this afternoon at the Conference Room of the NBP, the President approved the
release of the inmates, aged 70-80.

"Happy Valentines to all of you! We are doing this to decongest the prison and for humanitarian reason,"
she said after personally congratulating the old inmates for regaining their freedom.

Among those given presidential pardon were Federico Consolacion and Teopano Lope, the oldest
members of the batch at 80. Also released were Emeterio Ferreroa, Sancho Manliguez, Anatalio Molina,
Juan Penarobia, Benjamin Razonable, Felicisimo Solayao, all 71 years old.

Also granted presidential pardon were Francisco Aquino, Domingo Bautista, Adolfo Borja, Arsenio Borja,
Silvestre de Baguio, Sofronio Esmania, Crispin Florendo, Laurentino Fortuno, Francisco Gunabe,
Gaudencio Ignacio, Feliciano Lacocao, Geronimo Laguatan, Benjamin Lim, Julian Magtagad Sr., Romulo
Maldos; Mariano Martinez, Elmero Mesa Sr., Onofre Nunez, Apolinario Ormido, Paulino Orot, Martiniano
Pilarda, Pedro Reyes, Rafael Salalima, Crisologo Seleteria, Hanibal Silverio, Cornelio Tabaldo, Pablo
Ventura, Pedro Villamor and Sixto Vinas Sr.

The inmates all expressed their gratitude to the President for the chance to be reunited with their families
in the twilight years of their lives.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Vicente Vinarao and Muntinlupa
City Representative Rozzano Rufino Biazon witnessed the ceremony.

The President also disclosed that the sentence of the 280 longest serving death row inmates will be
commuted to life imprisonment. There are 1,280 convicts confined at the NBP death row.
She also directed the Board of Pardons and Parole to facilitate the processing of the documents on the
lowering of the sentence of the death convicts.

In an interview with Gonzalez, the DOJ chief said Vinarao conducted a briefing on the planned transfer of
the Bureau of Correction to Tanay, Rizal as part of the privatization program of the 435-hectare NBP.
Earlier on Feb. 10, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita sent a memorandum to the DOJ and BuCor
informing them that the President would grant executive clemency to eight prisoners.

Those being endorsed for conditional pardon were Carlos Alcallaga Perez, Edgardo Calinagan, Manuel
Cortez Centeno, Ludovico Francisco Rala, Florencio Gasacao Omalza, Aiza Karim Abdul, Araceli Najera
Doria and Glorio Roda Roxas.