Dear Friends,
Regarding our pervious forwarded appeal about the death penalty in the Philippines, including the case of Mr. Rolando Pagdayawon, a former police officer, we are sending you the following information received from Amnesty International (AI).
We are pleased to learn that the president of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has ordered all executions to be suspended indefinitely until Congress has debated a bill to abolish the death penalty even though it is not known yet when the debate on the abolition of the death penalty will take place in the national legislature.
Therefore, no further action is required for a while. We would like to thank of our network members who have taken part in an urgent action on this matter.
If you want to see our previous appeal and update on the case of Mr. Rolando Pagdayawon, please visit our web site at <http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2002/288/> and
<http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2002/295/>.
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission
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PUBLIC AI Index: ASA 35/013/2002
2 October 2002
Further information on EXTRA 63/02 (ASA 35/007/2002, 14 August 2002) and follow-up (ASA 35/009/2002, 28 August 2002 – Imminent execution
PHILIPPINES Rolando Pagdayawon (m), former police officer
President Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered all executions to be suspended indefinitely until Congress has debated a bill to abolish the death penalty. Her decision was announced by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, following a meeting with ambassadors from European Union countries on 30 September.
Rolando Pagdayawon, who was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on 30 August, had previously been granted a 90-day reprieve by the President. The reprieve also applied to two other men: Filemon Serrano (see follow-up to UA 236/02, ASA 35/006/2002, 2 August 2002) and Eddie Sernadilla.
It is not yet known when the abolition debate will take place in Congress. According to the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), almost half the members of the House of Representatives and a majority of Senators have signalled their intention to vote for abolition of the death penalty. The Catholic Bishops’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has urged the President to certify the bills as urgent.
Many thanks to all those who took action. No further action from the network is required at this time, but we will continue to monitor the situation.
