For example, on April 26, ABC News aired part of a videotaped confession by suspected al Qaeda terrorist Azmi al-Jayousi, who was captured before he could unleash a devastating chemical attack in Jordan.
Although Mr Portillo has never embellished his original confession, he has woven this part of his biography into a tedious narrative of personal self-discovery.
Under the law, members of the paramilitary forces who took part in the demobilization process and gave a full confession of their crimes would receive a maximum sentence of eight years.
Some media outlets have reported that Armstrong has been strongly considering the possibility of a confession, possibly as a way to stem the tide of fleeing sponsors and as part of a long-term comeback plan.
The state criminal case over whether Dickerson was part of a minor bank robbery on January 24, 1997, has remained unresolved as the questions surrounding his confession to the police were resolved by the nation's highest court.