Capital Punishment in The Philippines - Reinstatement and Moratorium

Reinstatement and Moratorium

President Fidel V. Ramos promised during his campaign that he would support the reintroduction of the death penalty in response to increasing crime rates. The new law, drafted by Ramos, restored capital punishment by defining "heinous crimes" as everything from murder to stealing a car.

This law provided the use of the electric chair until the gas chamber (chosen by the government to replace electrocution) could be installed.

The first execution by lethal injection took place under Ramos' successor, Joseph Estrada. following on a personal appeal by his spiritual advisor, Bishop Teodoro Bacani, Estrada called a moratorium in 2000 to honour the bimillenial anniversary of Jesus' birth. Executions were resumed a year later.

Estrada's own successor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, was a vocal opponent, and also approved a moratorium, but later permitted executions and denied clemencies.