No executions during GMA’s term

President Arroyo is likely to continue staying the execution of death convicts during her term despite strong calls for her to impose capital punishment on hardened criminals.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo, a devout Catholic, believes the death penalty is not a deterrent to the commission of crimes.

"The President feels that the implementation of capital punishment is not imperative," Bunye said in a press briefing. "What is crucial (in fighting crime) in her view is law enforcement and strengthening of the criminal justice system."

He added that the implementation of capital punishment "is not necessarily the solution" to the increasing crime rate. The death penalty was not even discussed during the multi-sectoral anti-crime summit held in Malacañang on Saturday, he said.

Bunye said the President believes that some heinous crimes — such as rape — do not warrant the execution of convicts.

He said that the granting of a reprieve by the President is "an accepted principle" and Mrs. Arroyo exercises this authority to facilitate the review of cases.

Under the country’s death penalty law, once the Supreme Court affirms the death sentence of a convict, the case automatically goes to the President for review and final appeal for stay of execution or commutation of the death sentence to life imprisonment.

The death penalty law was passed in 1993 and took effect on Jan. 1, 1994 when Mrs. Arroyo was a senator. She voted against it.

Bunye said Malacañang respects the opinions aired by anti-crime groups and the families of victims of heinous crimes, but it assures the public the government is doing everything it can to stop the latest crime wave.

"The President is willing to listen to all suggestions and complaints on this matter but as of now, her decision stays," he said. "We are doing everything to stop all these violent crimes."

The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported that "index crime" rose by 10.5 percent to 15,221 cases from January to April this year compared to the same period in 2004 with 13,774 incidents. Index or heinous crimes include murder, physical injuries, theft, rape and homicide.

Bunye said strengthening the criminal justice system — including the speedy arrest and prosecution of criminals — and the cooperation of the local governments, businessmen, media and the public in general would bring down criminality and violence in the country.

He said, though, that Malacañang had no position yet on moves to repeal the death penalty, adding that the matter is for Congress to decide.

"Congress would have to go through the process first and if there’s sufficient support, we’ll see. We’ll cross the bridge when we get there," Bunye said.

Official records show many of the over 1,000 inmates on death row have been convicted of rape and kidnapping. Of the total, at least 165 cases have been affirmed by the Supreme Court and can only be stopped by a presidential stay.

The death penalty was abolished in 1987 when the Constitution was ratified, but reinstated in 1994 after a spate of heinous crimes such as rape, kidnapping and drug trafficking.

Opposition from human rights groups stopped executions from being carried out until 1999. Seven convicts were put to death by lethal injections, most for rape, in early 2000 until then President Joseph Estrada declared a moratorium on judicial executions amid pressure from the influential Catholic church and rights groups.

After a series of kidnap-for-ransom incidents in December 2001, Mrs. Arroyo lifted the moratorium on the execution of death row convicts for those convicted of kidnapping. The move was part of her administration’s intensified anti-crime campaign and to placate the members of the Filipino-Chinese community, since many of the victims belong to rich Filipino-Chinese families.

However, she imposed another temporary suspension on the execution of death row convicts in October 2002, including those convicted of kidnapping, to be lifted after Congress passes a pending measure seeking to repeal the death penalty law.

The President then decided to reinstate the moratorium despite the ruling of the Supreme Court in September 2002, which set aside appeals made by pro-life lawmakers for a stay of execution until after Congress had acted on the measure.

Mrs. Arroyo reversed the moratorium a month after the body of kidnapped Chinese-Filipino Coca-Cola executive Betti Chua Sy was found stuffed in a trash bag in Parañaque City in November 2003.

Independent statistics showed that Sy was the 156th kidnap victim in 2003, when abductions hit a 10-year high.