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On August 16, 2013, President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr. wrote a 3-page letter addressing the request of Senator Hokkons Baules for another pardon, 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