Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said that the executive clemency granted to murder-convict Claudio Teehankee Jr. went through the proper process and there was no secrecy behind the pardon contrary to claims of some quarters.
In his weekly press conference in Malacanang, Mr. Ermita stressed that the decision of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to grant pardon to Teehankee was based on merit and that the rules governing the grant of executive clemency to prisoners were strictly followed.
Teehankee was convicted in 1992 by the Regional Trial Court of Makati for the murder of Maureen Hultman and Roland Chapman, and the frustrated murder of Jussi Leino.
Teehankee’s actual length of time served in prison totalled 17 years. Based on the time served for good conduct, he was considered to have served a total of 21 years, Ermita said.
Mr. Ermita revealed that in 1999, Teehankee and the Hultmans executed a settlement agreement in which Teehankee and his family sold, ceded, and assigned “all their rights and interests over the house located at No. 53 San Juan St., B. Capitolyo (Pasig) for and in consideration of P6,964,504.40 as full and complete payment of Claudio Teehankee Jr.’s civil obligation to the Hultmans.”
Under the agreement, the Hultmans, “through their duly authorized representative, would not object to the application for parole or the commutation of the sentence of Claudio Teehankee Jr., provided that the same shall be in accordance with law.”
Ermita said that on Jan. 13, 2003, the Hultmans “filed with the trial court a notice of satisfaction of judgment with respect to the civil aspect of the case.”
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