Robin Padilla surprised by absolute pardon

Action star Robin Padilla was almost tears on Wednesday while reading the absolute and unconditional pardon granted to him by President Rodrigo Duterte, according to a report by Nelson Canlas on 24 Oras.

Padilla said he was in Malacañang on Tuesday to discuss the rehabilitation of several hospitals when he was surprised with the pardon.

In an interview with Palace reporters, President Rodrigo Duterte said Padilla has suffered enough since being found guilty of illegal possession of firearms.

"Yung pardon ko full restoration of all his political and civil rights. He has suffered enough, I think. Kung bitawan mo naman yung tao sa labas, give him the rights na makaboto, maka-travel," Duterte said.

Padilla was apprehended in 1992 when authorities found a .357-caliber revolver, a baby Armalite rifle, and a .38-caliber firearm and bullets in his vehicle. In 1994, he was sentenced to 17 to 21 years imprisonment at the New Bilibid Prison.

In Bilibid, he converted to Islam and married his first wife, Liezel Sicangco.

After three years behind bars, Padilla was granted a conditional pardon by then-President Fidel Ramos in April 1998, and he was released from prison.

However, the pardon prohibited Padilla from performing his civil and political rights, including the right to vote and seek public office.

Padilla, a staunch supporter of Duterte in his presidential campaign, said he never sought a pardon from Duterte nor from the previous administrations.

"Si Erap [Estrada] inutusan ako sa Abu Sayyaf, si [Gloria Macapagal Arroyo] kung saan-saan ako inutusan, pero kahit isang beses hindi ako humingi. Para sa akin yung serbisyo mo sa bayan hindi dapat palitan," the actor said.

Padilla said he already paid the price for his mistakes, adding he was surprised by the petition filed by his manager Betchay Vidanes to the Board of Pardons and Parole.

"Kung ano man ang kasalanan ko sa lipunan binayaran ko yan ng tatlo't kalahating taon sa loob ng kulungan. Kaya walang puwedeng magsabi na nanghingi ako ng pabor, hindi ako humingi ng pabor. At binayaran ko pa uli ng 23 years sa labas ng yung isang paa ko nasa Bilibid," he said.

Padilla called the pardon his new lease on life following the birth of his daughter Isabella on Monday.

His wife, Mariel Rodriguez, gave birth in the US. Padilla said that getting a US visa and being a hands-on dad will be his priorities.

"Mag-apply ng visa, 'yan ang una kong gustong gawin. Napuno na kami ng pag-asa baka kasi ito makatulong sa pagpunta sa America," he said. — Joseph Tristan Roxas/BM, GMA News