Since the global campaign to abolish the death penalty began in Italy 13 years ago, half the countries in the world comply today. The campaign is seeking compassion toward human life by passing a total worldwide ban. Italy has requested the support of the EU to back an initiative at the United Nations level. The Third World Congress against the death penalty is scheduled to take place in Paris in 2007 from February 1st through the 3rd.

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President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

On June 24, 2006, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Philippines signed a significant legislation for the entire nation: It was to end capital punishment. The Philippines had previously abolished the death penalty in 1987, making the Philippines the second country in the region to do so at the time. However, the practice was re-introduced in late 1993. Now, almost ten years later, this compassionate legislative change made the Philippines the 25th country in the Asia-Pacific region that abolishes the death penalty, quite an important and positive sign of the times. President Arroyo said: “We shall continue to devote the increasing weight of our resources to the prevention and control of serious crimes, rather than take the lives of those who commit them.” In valuing precious human lives, the Philippines upholds the virtue of compassion and gives people an opportunity to reform.

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