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On February 2, 2012, Alex committed direct bribery under the Revised Penal Code. At that time, the penalty for direct bribery ranged from six to twelve years of imprisonment. On September 1, 2023, the Legislature enacted Law No. 9999 reducing the penalty for direct bribery to a range of three to six years and expressly provided that the law shall have retroactive effect to offenses committed before its effectivity. Alex was convicted on April 10, 2024 and sentenced to nine years under the old law. He files a motion for reconsideration arguing that the new law should apply to his case. (a) Identify the controlling doctrine on retroactive effect of penal laws. (b) Distinguish retroactive application of a lenient law from general retroactivity. (c) Apply to the facts: Should Alex benefit from the new law? Why or why not.