The Manila Times

PHILIPPINES: Palace stand on death penalty stays

Ditching its wishy-washy stand on the death penalty, Malaca�ang yesterday announced that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would push through with the execution of death convicts despite strong opposition from some sectors.

 But the President's tough stance on death penalty is sure to clash with the members of the House committee on civil, political and human rights, who have approved the abolition of Republic Act 7659 or the Death Penalty Law.

 "The consolidated bill which will be reported out by the committee upon resumption of the 2nd session becomes all the more urgent with Malaca�ang's announcement," House committee chair Etta Rosales said.

 In a telephone interview, Acting Press Secretary Silvestre Afable reiterated that the President is bent on pursuing "a strong republic and undertake all measures that will achieve this end."

 Afable hinted that the President would allow the execution of not only convicted kidnappers but as well as those sentenced to die for committing heinous crimes.

 "As far as the President is concerned, the scheduled executions this year will push through," Afable said.

 As regards the Catholic Church's opposition to death penalty, Afable said the President has yet to tackle the matter with the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. In opposing the imposition of death penalty, Rosales premised her argument on the 1987 Constitution which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment for offenders.

 The Akbayan party-list lawmaker argued: "If it's cruel to cut off parts of the body of a convict, is it not equally cruel or even worse, to cut off his very life by execution."

 The committee instead pushed for the full implementation of laws by its competent and honest enforcers as means to prevent crimes.

 As soon as she became President, Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo called for a moratorium on execution but later changed her mind saying only those convicted of kidnapping would be executed.

 The 1st to die by lethal injection under the Macapagal-Arroyo administration is Alfredo Nardo, a convicted rapist.