Editorial

Free men

Ten former soldiers convicted for the slaying of former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. in August 1983 were released this week. They were part of the group of 16 men that had been found guilty of the murder; the other six had either died in jail or been released earlier.

The Aquinos are livid. A daughter, who is in show business, is angry that the convicts have never admitted guilt and have thus expressed no remorse. A son, who is now a senator, calls the move “skewed and unjust” and says the Arroyo administration is exercising political vendetta against their mother, who has been calling for President Arroyo’s resignation since 2005.

Maybe, too, the family’s frustration at not being able to know the mastermind of the killings has been vented at the soldiers.

Nobody begrudges the Aquinos their reaction to this development. For a family that has gone through much anguish, this is expected. The emotional response, however, should be limited to them and their inner circle.

Certainly there is no room for other voices attacking the President’s decision to grant executive clemency, upon the recommendation of the Department of Justice, to the former soldiers. It is a prerogative that does not need to be explained.

As for the just-freed men, 26 years in prison must have done something to reform them, even as they have never admitted to the crime for which they were convicted.

There is a lot of talk on justice nowadays; is restoration not part of justice as well?