Rotten Justice System

It’s only in the Philippines where a person convicted of a crime for 203 years and given a presidential pardon without serving a single day in prison. Believe it or Not!


Gloria pardons grafter who never served a minute of 203-year jail term

BY PETER TABINGO
A PRIVATE contractor convicted of 27 counts of graft and sentenced to 203 years imprisonment by two divisions of the Sandiganbayan did not get to serve a single minute of his jail term after he was granted a conditional pardon by President Arroyo.
Two sources at the graft court said the pardon for Jaime Ponce de Leon, granted by President Arroyo last April 12, was secured by a former House member who has a relative in the Arroyo Cabinet.
Documents obtained from the graft court showed Ponce de Leon was found guilty on charges of conspiracy with officials of the then Ministry of Public Highways (now Department of Public Works and Highways)-Bais City Highway Engineering District in ghost road projects.
The verdict of the Sandiganbayan Second Division, promulgated on July 7, 1989, sentenced De Leon to eight years for each of the 14 graft cases pending against him or a total of 112 years. The ruling was affirmed by the Supreme Court on June 25, 1990.
Despite his conviction, De Leon remained at large.
09/26/2007 Malaya. The rest of the story.
Brewing bribery scandal at the high tribunal