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On August 16, order 2013, site President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr. wrote a 3-page letter addressing the request of Senator Hokkons Baules for another pardon, capsule this time in three cases, including his most recent criminal conviction and parole violation. The President clearly stated that he could not “in good conscience” provide clemency for the Senator’s nine assault and battery convictions from 2010 and 2012, but would commute the 5 year (suspended) sentence for his assault and battery with a dangerous weapon conviction in 2013 as the President believed that Senator Baules was provoked.
Since the clemency did not commute the 30-day jail sentence for the parole violation, Senator Baules was required to report to jail on August 16, 2013. Senator Baules did not surrender to jail nor did the Attorney General move to have him incarcerated.
Noting that his commutation letter did not have the desired intent, the President issued a second letter on August 23, 2013 acknowledging that his commutation has caused some “confusion.” The President initially commuted the sentence in the wrong case and provided a lengthy justification for doing so.
Despite his earlier statement days ago that he could not “in good conscience” commute Senator Baules’ sentence in the 2012 case, the President has done exactly that by his most recent “clarification” letter. This latest letter commutes the Senator’s 30-day sentence for the 2012 parole violation and thus, keeps the Senator out of jail.
Senator Baules Clemency Request
Palau President Letter to Pardon Senator Baules
2 thoughts on “Palau Senator’s Jail Sentence Commuted – VIDEO”
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alii,
interesting development. sen. baules was convicted and sentenced to serve time in jail. with due process, he requested clemency from the president of the republic of palau, thus his sentence commuted. that is fair game.
what is puzzling is the inaction of the senate to act on addressing the dilemma handed to them on a silver platter regarding a colleague of theirs who the supreme court had handed a guilty verdict in the very beginning. their senate, their problem. the senate is letting a totally independent branch of the government come in a clean house. that is mind boggling. if it is any consolation the senate still has a change to redeem itself by bring the this issue of their colleague to committee of the whole and address it. after all, only the jail sentence was commute, ok. but he is still a convicted felon, meaning a the convicted senator should render his resignation the senate and to the voters of the republic of palau. it is that simple
It is very simple the senate president should introduce a legislation to ask Senator Baules for his resignation and ban him as a convicted fellon from any government entity. President Should never commute any of his sentences and let him serve a full sentence. Public officials at any capacity should be held at the highiest standard and when that standard is compromised the public trust in the government is also compromised. Public should recall the Senators votes and replace him immediatly. It leaves one to wonder what else is there in the closet. Plauans should hold themselves in a highier standard and not be subject to this embarrassing situations.