MANILA, Philippines—Quezon Representative Lorenzo "Erin'' Tañada III voiced concern on Wednesday about the possibility of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pardoning more inmates of the national penitentiary, especially the rich and powerful, as her term winds down.

Palawan Representative Abraham Mitra, in a separate statement, urged Arroyo to use her powers to pardon convicts "judiciously and carefully."

The two congressmen were reacting to reports that the release of convicted child rapist and former congressman Romeo Jalosjos from the New Bilibid Prisons had been approved. Arroyo had commuted Jalosjos’ original life sentence to 16 years.

Tañada said while the president has the sole prerogative of granting clemency, "we rely on her good conscience to use it wisely and not to abuse it.''

He proposed that Arroyo list down the potential prisoners she is "seriously considering'' to set free through pardon or commutation of sentence.

"This will allow the relatives of their victims to speak their minds on the matter; we want her pardons to be a subject of public debate,'' said Tañada in a phone interview. "She should broaden her list to include the poor and not just the rich and powerful.''

Mitra said Congress' hands are tied on presidential pardons because it is widely accepted that "the courts convict and the president forgives based on wisdom or just a whim.''

But Mitra, whose province hosts the country's largest penal colony, appealed to Arroyo to use her power of granting pardon or clemency "judiciously and carefully'' by focusing on convicts who deserved an early reprieve.

"I have personally witnessed those who had run afoul of the law turning over a new leaf when given the chance. Except in extreme cases, prisons are not places of no return. They're supposed to turn bad men to good men,'' said Mitra said a text message.