Philippine President Gloria Macapagel-Arroyo (pictured) ordered the commutation of all death sentences to life in prison, an order that will spare the lives of the 1,205 people on death row. As her nation marked Easter Sunday, she issued the clemencies: “I wish to announce that we are changing our policy on those who have been imposed the death penalty. We are reducing their penalty to life imprisonment. Anyone who falls and makes mistakes has a chance to stand up and correct the wrong he has committed.” Since Arroyo became President in 2001, no death sentences have ben carried out and she has repeatedly issued stays to those facing execution. The Philippines abolished the death penalty in 1987, but it was reimposed by Congress in 1994. Since 1999, when executions resumed, seven people have been executed by lethal injection. The Catholic Church in the Philippines has opposed the death penalty. (Bangkok Post, April 17, 2006).

See International Death Penalty and Life Without Parole.