Despite confession by the accused in a case involving punishment of imprisonment for life with confiscation of entire property…….137or of imprisonment for life pursuant to
law, where the adjudging chief of office has a ground to suspect that it might be an accident, or in view of the circumstance of commission of the offense, the punishment as referred to in law will, in his or her view, be so severe if it is imposed on the accused and lesser punishment should be imposed on him or her, then the chief of office shall determine the punishment imposable by law, and explicitly set down in the reference memorandum such opinion as he or she has made, along with the reason for the same, and judgment shall be referred accordingly. Even the authority making final verdict may also determine punishment that is lesser than that specified by law if the authority also holds such opinion.