Aquino pardons foreign prisoner, grants commutation of sentence to four Filipino inmates
President Benigno S. Aquino III has pardoned a foreign prisoner and commuted the sentence of four Filipino inmates, a Palace official said on Monday.
The Chief Executive granted the conditional pardon with voluntary deportation to prisoner William Robert Burton who was convicted for drug trafficking, according to Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte during the regular press briefing in Malacanang.
Burton was sentenced to suffer the penalty of life imprisonment by the Pasay Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 116 for violation of Section 21 of RA 6425 otherwise known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972. The Supreme Court (SC) affirmed the lower court's ruling. He was ordered to pay P20,000 fine.
The President ordered to turn over Burton to the custody of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) for proper disposition upon his release from the National Penitentiary.
President Aquino granted the conditional pardon to Burton with "the condition that he shall voluntarily agree to be deported to Rufforth Yorkshire, England and never return to the Philippines."
During the press briefing, Valte also announced that the President granted the commutation of sentence of Antonio Aure, Aurelio Nartatez, Edy Paneza and Alvani Salasa upon the recommendation of the Board of Pardons and Parole.
Commutation of sentence refers to the reduction of the duration of a prison sentence of a prisoner.
Aure was convicted by the Surigao del Norte RTC for violation of Illegal Fishing with the Use of Explosives (PD 1058) to suffer the sentence of 20 years to reclusion perpetua. His sentence is hereby commuted to a definite prison term of 25 years.
Nartatez was found guilty by the RTC of Candon City, Ilocos Sur for violation of Section 11 of RA 9165 otherwise known as Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. He was sentenced to suffer indeterminate prison term of 12 years and 1 day to 20 years and to pay a fine of 300,000. His sentence is hereby commuted to an indeterminate prison term of 7 years to 12 years and to pay P300,000 fine.
Paneza was convicted of violating PD 532 (Highway Robbery) by the Iloilo City RTC and the SC subsequently upheld the lower court's ruling. The President commuted his sentence to a definite prison term of 25 years from the penalty of reclusion perpetua. He was ordered to pay civil indemnity of P50,000.
Salasa, was sentenced to suffer reclusion perpetua by Tagum, Davao RTC for violation of robbery with homicide. His sentence is hereby commuted to a definite prison term of 27 years. (PCOO)
