Roxas: No justice in Teehankee release

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas on Tuesday criticized the early release from prison last week of Claudio Teehankee, Jr. after the celebrity convict served 14 years for three heinous crimes committed in 1991, as he lamented the patently unequal application of justice in the country.

"Itong si Teehankee, after 14 years pinalaya na. Ilang mga mahirap na preso ang nakakulong ng mas higit pa sa 14 taon dahil mahirap sila at walang abogadong umaayos ng kanilang paglaya?" he said.

"Mali ito. Hindi pantay ang hustisya sa mahirap at mayaman, kaya wala nang tiwala ang mga tao sa hustisya sa bansa natin. Dapat pantay-pantay ang aplikasyon ng hustisya dito sa ating bansa," he said.

Roxas’ reaction was prompted by the admission of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez that Teehankee’s release was facilitated by a visit of his brother, Philippine Representative to the World Trade Organization Manuel Teehankee, a former Justice undersecretary, to intercede and seek early release of his jailed older brother.

Following the former DOJ undersecretary’s visit, Gonzalez said he ordered the Bureau of Corrections and the Board of Pardons and Parole to recompute Claudio Jr.'s credits. President (Gloria) Arroyo thereafter granted Claudio Jr. executive clemency in late September.

"Nakalulungkot lang na mas mabilis aksyunan ng ating mga opisyal ang mga aplikasyon para sa clemency at pardon ng mga mayayaman at maimpluwensiyang preso. Nakakaawa naman ang maraming preso na tumanda na sa kulungan pero hanggang ngayon ay naghihintay pa rin ng awa ng gobyerno," he said.

"Dapat ipaliwanag ng gobyerno sa publiko ang dahilan kung bakit pinalaya nang maaga si Teehankee. Ipakita nila kung bakit nararapat ang maagang pagpapalaya na ito. Dahil kung hindi, at magpatuloy ang ganitong larangan ng palakasan, talagang durug-durog na ang rule of law sa ating bansa," Roxas said.

He urged the Justice Department to also review the cases and applications for clemency and pardon of other convicts, particularly the elderly who have no financial resources for the quick facilitation of their applications.