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Death Penalty in the Philippines Sources: Amnesty International, PCIJ, OPS Last updated: May 20, 2008 Aquino

administration 1987 According to the 1987 Constitution, Art. III (Bill of Rights), Sec. 19. (1) Excessive fines shall not be imposed, nor cruel, degrading or inhuman punishment inflicted. Neither shall death penalty be imposed, unless, for compelling reasons involving heinous crimes, the Congress hereafter provides for it. Any death penalty already imposed shall be reduced to reclusion perpetua. In mid-1987, a bill to seeking to reinstate the death penalty for 15 'heinous crimes' including murder, rebellion and the import or sale of prohibited drugs was submitted in Congress. 1988 In 1988, the military started lobbying for the imposition of the death penalty. Then Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief General Fidel Ramos was prominent among those calling for the reintroduction of the death penalty for rebellion, murder and drug-trafficking. The military campaign for the restoration of the capital punishment was primarily against the CPP-NPA, whose offensives then included urban assassination campaigns. Anti-death penalty groups including Amnesty International opposed the bill, but the House of Representatives voted for restoration by 130 votes to 25. 1989 Three similar bills were put before the Senate. After a bloody 1989 coup, President Aquino certified as urgent one of these bills on the prompting of Ramos. The said bill again proposed death penalty for rebellion, as well as for sedition, subversion and insurrection. 1990 The Senate suspended the vote on death penalty for a year 1991 The Senate did not agree to move to a decision. Ramos administration A series of high profile crimes during this period, including the murder of Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez, created public impression that heinous crimes were on the rise. The Ramos administration succeeded in restoring death penalty. 1992 President Fidel Ramos during his first State of the Nation address declared that his administration would regard the restoration of the death penalty a legislative priority, and urged Congress to take speedy action. 1993 Ramos signed into Republic Act 7659, the new death penalty law, on December 13, 1993. 1994 Republic Act 7659 took effect on January 1, 1994. 1996 Republic Act No. 8177, which mandates that a death sentence shall be carried out through lethal injection, was approved on March 20, 1996. Estrada administration Seven death convicts were executed during the Estrada administration before he announced a moratorium on executions. 1999 Leo Echegaray, 38, was executed by lethal injection on February 5, 1999. He was the first to be executed after the Philippines restored death penalty. It was the Philippine's first execution in 22 years. Six more men followed within the next 11 months. 2000 On March 24, 2000, Estrada imposed a de facto moratorium in observance of the Christian Jubilee Year. He also granted 108 Executive Clemencies to death convicts. On December 10, 2000, Human Rights Day, Estrada announced that he would commute sentences of all death convicts to life imprisonment. He expressed his desire to certify as urgent a bill seeking a repeal of the Death Penalty Law. Arroyo administration Please see Gloria Arroyo on death penalty--a timeline While the Arroyo administration has been characterized by a flip-flopping stand on death penalty, no death convict has been executed under her watch. Voting separately, the two Houses of Congress on June 6, 2006 repealed the death penalty law. Arroyo signed Republic Act 9346 on June 24, 2006. The law prohibited the imposition of the death penalty.

PHILIPPINES: Repeal the death penalty!


April 29, 2002 URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION <br> <br> ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAM <br> <br> Forwarded Appeal 29 April 2002 <br> <br> ----------------------------------------------------------- <br> FA-07-2002: Repeal the death penalty! <br> <br> PHILIPPINES - Denial of right to life <br> ----------------------------------------------------------- <br> <br> Dear Friends <br> <br> The most basic of all human rights is the right to life. Nobody can be denied this right by their own government. A government that applies the death penalty - such as the Philippines - has no right to say they are promoting human rights. Four bills on the Abolition of Death Penalty are currently being debated by the Philippines Congress. Therefore we encourage you to take a few short minutes to write to the Philippines government in support of the appeal by the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates that we are forwarding below. This appeal is also supported by women's rights advocates in Philippines who still take this position in the case of criminals who commit violence against women, as the death penalty is in all cases wrong, and in any case does not work as the deterrant to crime it is claimed to be. Reform of the Philippines prosecution system, which fails to act properly on many complaints of rape or other violence, is the real solution to delivering justice to victims and lowering crime rates. <br> <br> in solidarity <br> <br> Urgent Appeals Desk <br> Asian Human Rights Commission <br> ----------------------------------------------------------------------- <br> <br> URGENT APPEAL FROM THE PHILIPPINES ALLIANCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS <br> <br> CALLING THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT FOR THE REPEAL OF THE DEATH PENALTY LAW <br> <br> <br> SUMMARY <br> <br> The Philippine government is adherent to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its covenants. As such, we are a signatory to these internationally recognized instruments. <br> <br> The 1987 Philippine Constitution's Bill of Rights seeks the abolition of the death penalty, unless for compelling reasons. Compelling reasons mean the worst crimes, such as rape and kidnap for ransom. Worst crimes in the Philippines are heinuous crimes. They are grievous and hateful
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offenses by reason. <br> <br> The Philippines is one among the 91 countries implementing the death penalty. The Congress enacted Republic Act 7659, imposing death penalty for heinous crimes in 1994. It has executed Leo Echegaray (who was convicted of Rape) on February 5, 1999 by lethal injection. Three others, namely Jesus Morallos, Dante Pianbiong and Archie Bulan, were executed on July 8, 1999. <br> <br> In November 2000, deposed President Joseph Estrada declared a moratorium on executions by lethal injection. In May 2001, the moratorium was lifted by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo commencing the execution by August 2002. Two convicted kidnappers on the row will be executed. However, Republic Act No. 8177 prescribing lethal injection as the mode of execution in the country provides that the death sentences shall be carried out not earlier than one year nor later than eighteen months after the judgment has become final and executory. <br> <br> At present, the Civil, Political and Human Rights Committee of Congress is meeting to deliberate on House Bill Nos. 0920, 1396, 1460 and 2036 Abolishing the Death Penalty Law. PAHRA for one believes that the recent Supreme Court decision to revoke more than half of the death sentences manifests that the death penalty law is flawed. Thus the need to expedite its repeal.<br> <br> <br> BACKGROUND <br> <br> In 1994, the Philippine Congress enacted R.A. 7659 which puts into law the DEATH PENALTY LAW. It made the Philippines one among the 91 countries implementing summary execution thru the use of lethal injection. <br> <br> At present, there are more than one thousand death row convicts awaiting execution. Execution commenced in 1999 through the execution by lethal injection of Leo Echegaray, follwed by Jesus Morallos, Dante Pianbiong and Archie Bulan. <br> <br> A moratorium was declared in November 2000 but was lifted in May 2001. Two death row convicts are scheduled to be executed in August 2000. Initiatives from the human rights groups and Congress calls for the stop of the execution and open the death penalty law for review and work for the filing of the repeal of the death penalty law. <br> <br> <br> ACTION REQUESTED <br> <br> Write polite letters to put international pressure for the repeal of the Death Penalty Law. <br> <br> <br> SAMPLE LETTER <br> <br> Dear Sir/Madam: <br> <br> We are deeply concerned over the lifting of the moratorium of the death penalty law and the resumption of its execution in August 2002. <br> <br> We believe in the sanctity of human life and the dignity of human person. Imposing death penalty is not a solution to abate criminality. <br> <br> We would appreciate if the death penalty law is repealed as soon as possible. <br> <br> Yours sincerely <br> ________________ <br>
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<br> <br> SEND LETTERS TO: <br> <br> Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo <br> President of the Philippines <br> Malacaang Palace <br> JP Laurel Street, San Miguel <br> Manila 1005 <br> Fax: +632 736 1010 or +632 733-2107 <br> Email: pgma@compass.com.ph or opnet@ops.gov.ph <br> <br> Hon. Hernando Perez <br> Secretary, Department of Justice <br> DOJ Building <br> Padre Faura<br> Manila 1004 Philippines <br> Fax: +632 521 1614 <br> <br> Hon. Jose C. De Venecia, Jr. <br> Speaker of the House of Representatives <br> Batasan Complex, Constitution Hills <br> Quezon City NCR Philippines <br> Fax:(2) 931 5556 <br> <br> Franklin M. Drilon<br> Senate President <br> Rm 606, 6th Floor <br> Senate of the Philippines, <br> Roxas Blvd., <br> Pasay City Philippines <br> Fax:(2) 552 6876 <br> Email: fmd@sendrilon.org.ph <br> <br> <br> PLEASE SEND COPIES TO: <br> <br> Congresswoman Rosetta Ann Rosales <br> House of Representatives <br> Batasan Hills, Quezon City <br> Email Address: conglapr@nsclub.net <br> <br> Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates <br> 10-b Malingap St., Teacher s Village <br> Diliman, Quezon City <br> Email address: pahra@info.com.ph <br> <br> <br> For inquiries, send email or fax to: <br> PHILIPPINE ALLIANCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATES <br> 10-B Malingap St., Teacher s Village <br> Diliman, Quezon City <br> Email: pahra@info.com.ph <br> <br> Sincerely yours, <br> <br> Luzviminda M. Fanlo<br>
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Deputy Secretary General for International Affairs <br> <br> <br> <br> *** Please send a copy of your letter to AHRC Urgent Appeals: <br> Email: &lt;ua@ahrchk.org&gt; <br> Fax: +(852) - 26986367 <br> <br> Please contact the Urgent Appeals coordinator if you require more <br> information or wish to report human rights violations. <br> =========================================================== <br> AHRC Urgent Appeals Programme<br> Asian Human Rights Commission <br> Unit D, 7th Floor, Mongkok Commercial Centre, <br> 16 - 16B Argyle Street, Kowloon, HONGKONG <br> Tel: +(852) - 2698-6339 <br> Fax: +(852) - 2698-6367 <br> E-mail: ua@ahrchk.org <br> <br> Please contact the AHRC Urgent Appeals Coordinator if you require <br> further information or to make requests for further appeals. <br> <br> =========================================================== <br> <br>

Aquino against re-imposing death penalty


By Norman Bordadora Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 15:37:00 01/19/2011 Filed Under: Politics, Punishment, Crime, Government

MANILA, Philippines?(UPDATE) President Benigno Aquino has said he would look into calls for the re-imposition of the death penalty but at the same time indicated that he?s against the implementation anew of capital punishment. Aquino was asked the question amid renewed calls for the death penalty after a series of car-theft-related murders. ?I will have to study that, and I don?t know where the calls are emanating from but the essence here is that our judicial system, as you know, is not perfect,? Aquino said in a chance interview after addressing the Liberal Party?s 65th anniversary ceremonies. Aquino indicated that he was once an advocate of the death penalty. He said he even had discussions on the death penalty with his mother, the late democracy icon and former President Corazon Aquino. ?At the end of the day, I used to support death penalty,? he said. ?But I really witnessed a justice that was not perfect, so I have to change my position...Since we cannot turn back the clock, if we execute somebody, then we shouldn?t, in the off chance that we might render that penalty to somebody who was not guilty,? he added. Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, an author of a bill calling for the re-imposition of the death penalty, has again sought support for the capital punishment in the wake of car thefts that ended in the abduction and killing of car dealers. Lawyer Oliver Lozano, the father of one of the victims of the recent killings and car thefts, also asked for the return of the death penalty. But Aquino called for caution. ?There is a possibility that people can be wrongly convicted especially if they do not have the ability to secure competent counsels. If in a perfect world, we have an efficient judicial system, then perhaps there is a room for that.?

?But when? because of your economic status you cannot get the right lawyers to help you out, then there is a possibility that you will be wrongly convicted. Then, if we are going to pass the death penalty, how do you turn back the clock if the accused is executed?? he added. Aquino also vouched for the integrity of the Philippine National Police amid criticisms brought by the recent heinous crimes. ?Can I just add? There are so many criticisms against the PNP. But look at how many (cases) that they have been solving? And it will just take maybe a few minutes to Google search what their achievements have been,? Aquino hastened to add, before ending his interview with reporters. The President felt optimistic that the investigation of recent crimes would be resolved soon. ?When we heard the news, we called the regional director of the PNP office in Central Luzon and I asked him to prioritize it. I?m expecting developments on it,? Aquino said. ?But my problem is I really couldn?t reveal any of the details. But I?m optimistic on the solution of all of these cases. Not only that of the son of Attorney Lozano but also other cases,?he added. Aquino said the NCRPO ?for instance, reported so many accomplishments yesterday.? He indicated that a quick resolution of a case such as the one involving a robbery in Taguig ?is more typical of the performance of the PNP.?

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