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Raissa Robles

President Arroyo agrees two kidnappers will be executed next month following public pressure

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday lifted a moratorium on the death penalty, after a buildup of public anger over a wave of abductions.

Mrs Arroyo agreed to have two convicted kidnappers executed next month, after strong pressure from wealthy and influential ethnic Chinese, who have been increasingly targeted by kidnappers.

The decision was met with both approval and criticism. The Catholic Church opposes the death penalty while public opinion appears to support it, despite the country being predominantly Catholic.

Mrs Arroyo, who succeeded to the presidency with the help of prominent church leaders, said yesterday: 'I shall no longer stand in the way of executions scheduled by the courts for January 2004.'

Two kidnappers - Roberto Lara and Roderick Licayan - are set to be killed by lethal injection. Their conviction was declared final by the Supreme Court in August, 2001.

Mrs Arroyo said that 'much as I am averse, as a matter of moral principle, to the taking of human lives in this manner - the president must yield to the higher public interest when dictated by extraordinary circumstances'.

But she made it clear she did not subscribe to the argument that capital punishment deterred crime; she reinstated it because of demands for retribution.  'The pain of victims of heinous crimes has spread all over the national community and I shall not turn my back against the cry for just retribution under the law.'

She changed her mind a day after meeting prominent members of the Chinese-Filipino community who had lobbied for the implementation of the death penalty after abductions of mostly ethnic Chinese rose alarmingly to 110 cases - or an average of one case every three days from January to November.

Expecting opposition from the Catholic Church, Mrs Arroyo said: 'I seek understanding from those who may detract from my decision.'

Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Mrs Arroyo, who presents herself as a devout Catholic, sought 'divine guidance' on the issue.

Still, condemnation came swiftly from Rodolfo Diamante, of the church's commission on prison and pastoral care, who accused Mrs Arroyo of doing it for 'her personal interest' - to win the support of ethnic Chinese in next year's presidential race.

But Mrs Arroyo insisted that 'it is time for me to take a stand for the people'.

Although the ethnic-Chinese community makes up just 1 per cent of the country's 82 million population, it is prominent in the business world.

Its leaders say members of the security forces are involved in the kidnap-for-ransom gangs, and have, over the years, repeatedly criticised what they perceive as ineffectual government.

Opinion polls in the past 10 years showed most Filipinos will welcome her decision, private pollster Social Weather Stations said.

In its April 1993 survey, 74 per cent agreed kidnapping should be punished with death; 82 per cent wanted it for rape.

In a November 1998 survey, 81 per cent still wanted executions for 'heinous crimes'.

Medical doctor Renato Sera-Josep said lethal injection was 'too gentle and suave - can we not have a firing squad or stoning to strike fear into those criminals?'



Philippines lifts three-year moratorium on death penalty