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I'm sure the honourable member will appreciate it when I say that legislators or governors are always in a difficult position when pursuing a case like this, because none of us wants to put ourselves in the position in which we are, as it were, second- guessing legal advice, in which we are jumping over the concerns of a family, in which we are steering or leading the opinion of those concerned, in a way which might be unjustified. It is very difficult to give advice responsibly in these circumstances.
It is true that in my discussions with the Philippine authorities it was pointed out that a pardon can only be offered when all the legal hoops have been gone through. But that wasn't, I believe, an offer or a suggestion of a bargain, it was a straightforward description of what the position is.
I don't think that I can do more in my representations than to argue that the Philippine authorities should deal with the issue as expeditiously as possible. I don't think that I should do anything which appears to second-guess the judicial authorities in the Philippines or to intervene in the judicial process in the Philippines, but it is reasonable for us to say: this has been going on for an unconscionably long time.
These men were sentenced in 1991. Their appeal has, as the honourable member knows, been there since 1993. It is a matter of concern to the Legislative Council and to the community that they are having to wait so long for their appeal to be considered, and that is the point on which we have to press.
Now, we have been pressing. To my knowledge, the issue has been raised vigorously by two British ministers visiting the Philippines. To my knowledge, it has been raised by British officials visiting the Philippines on a number of occasions, and regularly raised by the British Ambassador. It has been raised with the Philippine authorities by members of this Legislative Council. The Legislative Council have discussed it and made their own position absolutely clear.
I hope we can resolve it quickly. I pointed out to the President that we have an amicable relationship; that it is a relationship sufficiently robust to enable us to address one another on a matter like this in fairly vigorous terms; and I think that the President, who has after all addressed himself to similar issues with equal or perhaps greater vigour, I think the President recognised that we had a legitimate interest and I assured him that I would be keeping in touch with him about this matter if it wasn't resolved quickly.