President Arroyo has granted executive clemency to another batch of 21 prisoners, Malacañang announced.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the President granted executive clemency to the prisoners on December 29, three weeks after she approved clemency to 21 convicts.

Of the 21 prisoners, one was granted absolute pardon, two were given conditional pardon, and the 18 others have their sentences downgraded.

Among the considerations that factored in the granting of the executive clemency are the health conditions and the age of the convicts.

Last year, the President has granted executive clemency to more than 50 prisoners, including women.

Before Christmas, the President conditionally pardoned six prisoners, including a woman. While, 15 others have their sentences commuted.

In October last year, Mrs. Arroyo granted executive clemency to 20 convicts, including a former collecting and disbursing officer of the Numancia National Vocational School in Surigao del Norte who was found guilty of malversation of public funds in 1994.