PHILIPPINES: Philippines to conduct 1st judicial execution in 3 years

 A convicted kidnapper is to be put to death by injection in August, the 1st judicial execution in the Philippines in 3 years, President Gloria Arroyo said Wednesday.

 "In general, we have a moratorium on the death penalty except for kidnapping (cases)," Arroyo told Bombo Radyo in an interview without naming the convict set for execution.

 "We must use all the weapons allowed by law to fight (kidnapping). Among these weapons is the death penalty," she said.

 "As far as I know, the 1st execution among the kidnapping crimes would be made in August."

 The Philippines in 1999 executed 7 death row convicts after a 23-year lull when capital punishment was not employed. However, pressure from the Roman Catholic church forced then president Joseph Estrada to declare a moratorium on future executions.

 A popular revolt toppled Estrada last year and Arroyo, the vice president sworn in to replace him, said the moratorium would continue except for convicted kidnappers. She has since expressed support for a move by legislators to repeal the law on capital punishment.

 However, Arroyo stressed Wednesday that "unless a law is passed by then to commute his death penalty, the execution would go ahead".

 Hundreds of US troops are training, advising and assisting Filipino troops who are battling Abu Sayyaf Muslim guerrilla kidnappers in the southern Philippines.