Press Release
December 18, 2007

KIKO ON JALOSJOS RELEASE MIXUP
"Its government shooting itself on the foot... removing 64 years from the sentence shouldn't have happened in the first place!" --- Kiko

Following the recall of convicted child-rapist former Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Romeo Jalosjos' release orders, Senate Majority and Independent senator Kiko Pangilinan today scored government for stirring a self inflicted wound.

"This is obviously a self-inflicted shot on the foot. Jalosjos, who was convicted in 1997 of raping an 11-yeard old girl and sentenced to two life terms in jail. PGMA in April commuted Jalosjos' sentence to 16 years. The Justice Secretary said PGMA was upset at the news and that the commutation was meant to have the former congressman released when he reaches 70 years of age in 2010.

"This government had no problem reducing Jalosjos' prison term by 64 years, from two life terms to 16 years. Why should it be upset that Jalosjos will be released two years earlier? Government only has itself to blame for this latest fiasco. While executive clemency is Constitutional, the reduction of two life terms to 16 years should not have happened in the first place." Kiko ended.

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