Leila meets ‘Abadilla 4’ in Bilibid
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Wednesday met with the members of the so-called Abadilla 5 at the New Bilibid Prisons, acknowledging the letter of appeal they sent to her last week seeking executive clemency.
She went to the areas where the convicted killers of Metrocom intelligence chief Col. Rolando Abadilla were incarcerated and spoke to each of them. She met with Cesar Fortuna, Lenido Lumanog, Joel de Jesus and Augusto Santos during the inspection.
“The secretary assured the Abadilla 5 that once their papers complete the process and land on her desk, it will be immediately forwarded to the Office of the President for disposition,” said Alex Lactao, Department of Justice information chief.
De Lima did not meet with Rameses de Jesus because he was sent to the prison colony in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, Lactao added.
The Abadilla 5 are seeking executive clemency after the Supreme Court affirmed their conviction last year. The convicts have maintained their innocence, saying they were framed.
Lumanog’s wife Malou expressed relief when she heard about De Lima’s conversation with her husband.
“I hope the meeting would produce something good for my husband. He’s very ill,” she said.
