Merged: Paco Larrañaga

[fratman2519]

---

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmQeYIppWeg

[LytSlpr]

now that the treaty has been ratified according to one of the posters here, its like inviting the Spaniards to come to the Philippines, rape and kill our women.. they can evade Philippines laws anyway through this treaty. wow! that way, i must agree, we have a rotten justice system!

first of all, i would like to emphasize that i personally hate rapists and they deserve the death penalty. i am not here to be paco's spokesperson or be a pseudo-lawyer. what i want to emphasize however is the obvious manipulation of our justice system.

as one poster here said that we though we have a defective justice system, it is still one of the best systems in the world and it is the only one we've got. we have almost the same justice and legal system with america, minus the jury.

what i find ironic here is that the very same people who curses our justice system invoke its protection. the very same justice system that convicted Paco and is the same justice system who reviewed and ratified this treaty.

the currently ratified treaty is beyond any of us and is even beyond the president, what more the Larranagas?

are we better than the legal luminaires of this land? do we really believe that this treaty is because of paco? if we seriously do, then we must have our brains and conscience checked.

[SPRINGFIELD_XD_40]

@ FRATMAN .... unsay tan-aw nimo sa TREATY sa ESPANA ? Sakto o sayop na move ? Kadtong sa 2001 ba unless nangangkon ra lage ka lols .

[fratman2519]

Right move na sa nahingtungdan springoy. Basta legal terms ang hisgutan wa na tay mahims ana. Imong gi question akong pagka APO? Kinsa man ka nga mo question nako? Tagai ko number sa BROD nako nga imong amigo nya tawagan nako sa imong atubangan. Kahilas bya nimong ok-oka ka.

[SPRINGFIELD_XD_40]

Ayaw lage pag OT diha .... GWAPO baya ka mga APO mga PANGIT baya na lols . Warning gyud na abtan nimo gwapoha ka lols .

Akong gi ingon na ngangkon ka na STORBOT ra ko lols .... kadtong 2001 ba sa WATERFRONT HOTEL ...

[giddyboy]

So sayop diay ni ang title "hope for paco larranaga". Ang mas sakto diay is "LUCK FOR PACO LARRANAGA"?

[fratman2519]

Chiong to Paco: Just tell me where Jackie is

SPAIN now has a ratified prisoner-exchange treaty with the Philippines but does this mean convicted felon Francisco Juan “Paco� Larrañaga’s days at the National Penitentiary are over?

Not if Thelma Chiong, mother of Marijoy and Jacqueline who were allegedly kidnapped and raped Larrañaga and his co-accused , has anything to say about it.

Nowhere in the records of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) and in Larrañaga’s subsequent appeal did he indicate that he is a citizen of Spain, said the incumbent head of the Crusade Against Violence-Visayas (CAVV).

Chiong said she will bring the matter up to the High Tribunal once she sees indications that Larrañaga will take advantage of the treaty.

Only one act will likely affect Chiong’s resolve, she told Sun.Star Cebu. “Just tell me where Jackie is.�

Larrañaga, together with seven other men, was earlier convicted for their alleged role in the July 16, 1997 disappearance of sisters Jacqueline and Marijoy Chiong.

Marijoy’s body was later found dead at the bottom of a cliff in what is now the City of Carcar.

Larrañaga was charged, convicted and sentenced to a life term with seven other men—Josman Aznar, Rowen Adlawan, Alberto Caño, Ariel Balansag and brothers James Anthony and James Andrew Uy.

The Supreme Court raised the penalty to death for everybody except James Andrew, who the court found was only 16 at the time the crime was committed.

The sentence wasn’t carried out because Congress abolished the death penalty in 2006.

“I can’t do anything about the treaty because it has already been ratified except maybe to ask questions,� Chiong said in Cebuano.

One question, she said, is whether Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who assured that the treaty wasn’t made solely for the benefit of Larrañaga, was being honest.

“Did she receive a single letter from any of the families of those Filipinos languishing in Spanish jails for a treaty that will bring them back to the Philippines so they can continue spending their sentences in our prisons?� she said.

The Philippine Senate approved last Monday a treaty allowing Filipino prisoners serving sentences in Spanish prisons to come home to the Philippines and continue serving their sentences here, as well as allowing Spanish citizens in Philippine jails to do the same.

Fifteen senators voted in favor of the treaty—Santiago, who sponsored the measure, Edgardo Angara, Benigno Aquino III, Rodolfo Biazon, Alan Peter Cayetano, Juan Ponce Enrile, Francisco Escudero, Gregorio Honasan, Panfilo Lacson, Lito Lapid, Jamby Madrigal, Kiko Pangilinan, Aquilino Pimentel, Ramon Revilla Jr., Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senate President Manuel Villar.

Two senators abstained—Jinggoy Estrada, who made his objection entered into the records, and Joker Arroyo. Two others were not able to make it to the deliberation—Richard Gordon and Antonio Trillanes.

The Spanish government has approved its end of the treaty.

Santiago, interviewed by the media, clarified that the measure—approved a month and a day before Larrañaga turns 30— can’t be seen as beneficial only to Larrañaga. She said 10 Filipino prisoners are in Spanish jails.

Moreover, she said, Larrañaga cannot yet take advantage of the treaty because his conviction isn’t yet final and executory because he filed an appeal.

He can simply withdraw the appeal though, much like what president Joseph Estrada did to avail himself of the executive clemency granted to him by President Arroyo.

The Larrañaga family, too, has yet to make up its mind.

In an earlier radio interview, Margarita Larrañaga said they have yet to study the matter and determine if the provisions of the treaty are favorable to her son.

But she welcomed the development.

“I find it an avenue for my son because my son has been languishing in jail for 10 years even if he is innocent, so this is an opportunity for him,� she said.

She denied lobbying for the treaty, adding that while they sought help from the Spanish Government, the signing of the treaty was a pure “coincidence.�

But Chiong is set on seeing Larrañaga serve his sentence, already commuted with the abolition of the death penalty law, in Philippine soil.

“I will write to the Supreme Court as soon as I return to Cebu City,� she said. She was in Southern Leyte last night to attend the hearing of a CAVV-assisted case.

“His father is a Spanish citizen but does it mean that he (Paco) is a dual citizen? If he is, did he get it before the case?� she asked.

Chiong also intends to seek an audience with President Arroyo, although she feels this wouldn’t make a difference.

“I wrote to her to oppose the planned abolition of the death penalty but nothing happened,� she said.

She also wants to write Secretary Cerge Remonde. (KNR)



For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here.

(November 29, 2007 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here.

[LytSlpr]

mura'g hayag-hayag na gyud!

[fratman2519]

As to my understanding, Paco is holding a dual citizenship. A spanish and filipino citizenship. hmmmm. Kung ang treaty is for spanish citizens jailed in philippines and for filipinos jailed in spain. But Paco still holds a filipino citizenship and he commits a crime in philippine soil. I don't think he should serve the rest of his terms in spain. Dapat sa pinas ra gyud sya unless pure spanish sya.

[LytSlpr]

According to Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago...

"The treaty's sponsor, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, said the ratification of the treaty would benefit convict Larrañaga who has been held in the National Bilibid Prison for 10 years.

Santiago said the treaty would only cover prisoners with final conviction, which was why Larrañaga must wait for a final verdict on his appeal before availing himself of the prison transfer."

Cebu Daily News, November 28, 2007


After their appeal in the Supreme Court is decided, their next move is to avail of this treaty and I don't think any rally by CAV can do anything about it.


"Ambassador Marciano Paynor, who as chief presidential protocol officer is in charge of overseas travels of the President, said Arroyo could bring that piece of good news to Filipinos in Spain when she visits that country December 2 to 5."

Samot wa'y mabuhat bisan kinsa pa nga grupo kay gisakay na gud sa politika. Ma-uwawan ang Presidente kung di niya tumanon ang maong ratified treaty human niya i-sibya sa mga Pilipino didto sa Espanya.