UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTIONS WELCOMES STEPS BY PHILIPPINES PRESIDENT ON DEATH PENALTY CASES

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Asma Jahangir, today welcomed the decision of Philippines President Joseph Estrada to grant a 45-day reprieve to Romeo Gallo, who had been scheduled to be executed on Wednesday, and to suspend all other executions until the formation of a new committee to review death sentences.

The new panel could ensure that any executions in the country take place in full observance of the United Nations Safeguards Guaranteeing Protection of the Rights of Those Facing the Death Penalty and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, said Ms. Jahangir, who was appointed Special Rapporteur by the Commission on Human Rights in 1998.

She recalled that in the Gallo case, questions had been raised regarding the legality of the execution given that the President reportedly had not been available to receive appeals for clemency. Philippines law requires that the President be in the country to receive such appeals.

Ms. Jahangir said the steps taken by the President were especially encouraging at a time when the reintroduction of the death penalty in the country had caused "extreme concern from a human rights perspective". "Although the death penalty is still in the books in the Philippines, we in the human rights community would like to hope that the suspension of executions and the establishment of a new review committee for death sentences will lead eventually to abolition of the death penalty. I urge the Philippines Government to consider the issue following the guidelines laid down by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights resolution 1999/61".

In resolution 1999/61, the Commission, among other things, reaffirms its conviction that abolition of the death penalty contributes to the enhancement of human dignity and to the progressive development of human rights.