TWO elderly inmates were given executive clemency by President Benigno Aquino 3rd.

Aquino ordered the commutation of sentence of inmates Arsenio Flores and Francisco Alimpos.

Based on the records of the New Bilibid Prisons, Alimpos who was convicted for a drug case was granted a commutation of sentence of from 10 years to 15 years from his original sentence of 12 years and one day to 20 years; He is 73 years old.

Last week, Aquino has granted executive clemency to 10 inmates during the Christmas and New Year break.

Aquino acted on the basis of the list submitted by the Department of Justice in December for his clemency and disposition.

On the other hand, Flores was convicted for murder.

The 72-year-old Flores has already served over five years of his original indeterminate prison term of eight years, four months and one day to14 years and two months.

The chief executive has commuted his sentence to seven years to 12 years.

With this, both Flores and Alimpos are now eligible to apply for parole.

De Lima said in a statement that “we understand very well that the President takes the exercise of his constitutional power to, among others, commute sentences and grant pardon seriously. After all, it means the balancing of at least three important state policies, that is, ensuring the delivery of justice and closure for the aggrieved parties and their family, the function of penalties as crime deterrent and the promotion of the principles of restorative justice.

“We are, therefore, quite aware that these decisions are not easy to make, and that they require careful study and the exercise of utmost discretion and wisdom,” Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said.