Maureen Hultman's Case: A killer's way to executive pardon

@tryxiness (4544)
Philippines
October 6, 2008 6:13pm CST
Just a disclaimer -- I am not a lawyer. But I feel QUITE uncomfortable about the pardon given to Claudio Teehankee Jr. Words can not capture my dismay to our justice system. A recap of the case from Wikipedia: [i] The Hultman-Chapman murder case was a murder case that gained wide publicity in the Philippines during the early 1990's. This is due to the fact that Claudio Teehankee, Jr., the perpetrator of the crime, was the son of the late former Chief Justice Claudio Teehankee, Sr. and the brother of former Justice Undersecretary Manuel Teehankee. The case helped sway the public view on crime and restore the death penalty in the Philippines. Court records show that Chapman, Hultman, and another friend, Jussi Leino, were coming home from a party at around three o'clock in the morning of July 13, 1991. Leino was walking Hultman home along Mahogany street in Dasmariñas Village, Makati City when Teehankee came up behind them in his car. He stopped the two and demanded that they show some identification. Leino took out his wallet and showed Teehankee his Asian Development Bank ID. Teehankee grabbed the wallet. Chapman, who was waiting in a car for Leino, stepped in and asked Teehankee: “Why are you bothering us?” Teehankee drew out his gun and shot Chapman in the chest, killing him instantly. After a few minutes, Teehankee shot Leino, hitting him in the jaw. Then he shot Hultman on the temple before driving away. Leino survived and Hultman died two months later in hospital due to brain hemorrhages caused by the bullet fragments. Teehankee was arrested several days later on the testimony of several witnesses. The witnesses were Domingo Florence and Agripino Cadenas, private security guards, and Vincent Mangubat, a driver, all three being employs of residents of the village.[/i] Anyways, I am for a restorative justice -- but I strongly feel that Teehankee does not deserve the freedom (since I believe he is being treated like a first class citizen in bilibid) he's about to experience. He does not deserve to be mainstreamed back. Anyways, Maureen died on October 17, 1991 after months of being supported with gadgets. Back in 1994 or 95, I thought justice has been served, but to my dismay, it's not knowing years after (and with a president like HER), who else should deserve justice? She does not even give justice to the taxes we're paying our country. Well, we can always have karmic justice I believe, and may Teehankee and this country's president may deserve the kind of Justice that would haunt them to the minutest atom they have in their bodies. Just my thoughts.
3 people like this
3 responses
@rsa101 (37952)
• Philippines
6 Oct 08
Well I guess its official Teehanke just got away with justice and it was given freely by our dear president herself. And the way they done it was made as quietly as ever. Even the press was not even given the hint as it was only revealed today but it was released last Friday.
@tryxiness (4544)
• Philippines
7 Oct 08
I guess this pardon thing has been brewing since 2005 but the people in DOJ kept this away from the public.
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (37952)
• Philippines
7 Oct 08
Yeah I think there's some underground movement going on with this. This is the easiest money to get. It won't go through any public scrutiny you just had to deal with brokers for this rich and infamous prisoners.
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
9 Oct 08
Teehankee Jr. is already free... and he is no where to be found... it seems that his family made all the effort for his quiet release... because they know that this will be a huge issue and that a lot of Filipinos here and abroad will be angry about this pardon... I just do not understand why or how the president came up with this decision... i am not pro-gloria... but i have always respected her because of her less talk more work policy... but this time... i think she should come out and explain why she pardoned a ruthless murderer who spent only minimal time in jail... I don't think gloria used her best judgement in this matter...
@edujccz (929)
• Philippines
7 Oct 08
We can see the kind of people in the government working in closets, very good in payoffs only to their friend, but for the mass of Filipinoes, only for a show. I wonder why people are fighting for a position in the government.