sec04-04问being

Framed by traitorous colleagues, Alfred Dreyfus was imprisoned for twelve years before there was exoneration and his freedom.
(A) there was exoneration and his freedom
(B) he was to be exonerated with freedom
(C) being exonerated and freed
(D) exoneration and his freedom
(E) being freed, having been exonerated

答案为C. 我想问,being可不可以省? 仅过去分词就可以表被动呀... 查了讨论帖也没结果.谢谢