Submission to the President of Records of Inmates 70 Years Old and Above for the Purpose of Extending Executive Clemency

November 17, 2004

MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 155

DIRECTING THE BUREAU OF CORRECTIONS, BUREAU OF JAIL MANAGEMENT AND PENOLOGY AND THE BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLE TO SUBMIT TO THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT RECORDS OF INMATES WHO ARE SEVENTY YEARS OLD AND ABOVE FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXTENDING EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY

WHEREAS, the President holds the power to grant executive clemency to inmates who have been convicted and are serving their sentence by final judgment, and such power may be bestowed from the private and gracious act of the President; CEHcSI

WHEREAS, there is a considerable number of inmates who are (70) years old and above and are serving sentence by final judgment;

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the Arroyo administration to extend executive clemency to deserving elderly inmates out of compassion and based on humanitarian grounds;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me under the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and the Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP) shall immediately forward, to the Office of the President records of inmates who are seventy (70) years and above and are serving sentence by final judgment in order that the same may be considered for the purpose of extending executive clemency.

SECTION 2. The BuCor, BJMP and BPP are directed to automatically submit names of inmates turning seventy years (70) old and to forthwith transmit records of the said inmates to the Office of the President for review, of their eligibility for executive clemency.

SECTION 3. This Memorandum Order shall take effect immediately.

City of Manila, November 17, 2004