Press Release
December 18, 2007

GORDON BLAMES GMA FOR JALOSJOS ISSUE

Senator Richard Gordon yesterday blamed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for opening wide the door for clemency of prisoners by extending a pardon to former President Joseph Estrada who was convicted of plunder but did not spend a day in the national penitentiary.

Gordon made the statement in a radio interview when he was asked to comment on President Arroyo's refusal to approve the release from prison of former Congressman Romeo Jalosjos who had been convicted of raping an 11-year-old girl. Arroyo acted on the recommendation of the Department of Justice that Jalojos had not yet completed his prison term despite the commutation of his sentence by the President herself.

However, Gordon said that it appeared that Jalosjos was credited for "good behavior" in prison, during which he acted as a trusty and even provided for some livelihood project for his fellow prisoners. But, Gordon added, it is still the President's privilege to grant a pardon or not.

Because of the controversy following the release order of the Bureau of Prisons authorities for Jalosjos, the radio interviewer asked Gordon in Filipino, "Who is at fault then?"

Gordon answered, "Well, you know I faulted the president for pardoning former President Estrada because yun na nga ang mangyayari d'yan. Ang mangyayari d'yan ay lahat manghihingi ng pardon ngayon. And what is now the new standard? Is a remorse necessary? Yun bang 'sorry', hindi ko na uulitin yan, nagkamali ako, at yun bang pagdurusa sa binalngguan ay kailangan ba o hindi na? That's why it is opening all kind of doors."

He added, "That's what I am worried about." He pointed out that because of the pardon of Estrada by the President, everybody else in prison would ask for the same treatment. "Yes, I am faulting her," continued Gordon. He recalled that his father had been assassinated, and when President Marcos commuted the sentences of the killers of his father, he protested to President Marcos. "But I could not overturn the commutation. Kaya very sensitive ako sa bagay na yan at very sensitive din ako sa mga nabibiktim ng mga heinous crimes."

Asked about the move to revive the Anti-Subversion Act, Gordon said that it is an admission that the administration is failing in its efforts to subdue the insurgency. He said that during a meeting in Malacanang of Legislative-Executive Development Council, he advised the president that it would be useless to grant amnesty to the rebels unless it is accompanied by a government initiative to redress the grievances and improve the lives of residents in the rebel-infiltrated areas.

"Like in Mindanao," he explained, "the reason people are dissatisfied there is because the teaches are not paid, there is no water for the schools, people have employment and the farmers cannot sell their products. So even if you grant rebels amnesty, the grievances of the people remain which will continue to encourage the insurgency."

Gordon said that he was definitely against restoring the Anti-Subversion Act because it would be going back to the past. He said he is more in favor of tightening the anti-terrorist act as it would be more effective in maintaining peace and order.

As for the giving of medals to officers who supervised the arrest of naval renegade Senator Antonio Trillanes and his fellow officers accused of rebellion, Gordon said it was the prerogative of their commanding officer. However, he said, the authorities should look into why Trillanes and his group were able to walk out of the courtroom where they were being tried, and talk to the Peninsual hotel without being stopped.

News Latest News Feed