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Tuesday, January 20, 2004
Not even Pope can stop executions: Arroyo aide
MANILA -- Even if Pope John Paul II intervenes, President Arroyo will not change her mind about having two convicted kidnappers executed on Jan. 30, said her spokesman Ignacio Bunye.
Bunye reiterated that only the Supreme Court could order Arroyo to put off the execution.
"The President has said that despite her own personal beliefs on the matter, she will have to take a stand in favor of the higher national interest and that is to protect our people from heinous crimes such as kidnappings and drugs and the President will take no action as far as the scheduled execution on Jan. 30 is concerned," he said.
Bunye appealed for understanding from those opposed to the execution, adding that "just retribution" must be achieved for some of the crimes committed against society.
"Sometimes our memory is short and we do not remember the days when the front pages are splashed with the death and loss of loved ones in the hands of notorious criminals. We must hold fast to our determination as a people and as a society and support the will of the Presidency," he added.
Catanduanes Rep. Joseph Santiago earlier urged Catholic Church leaders to consider asking the Pope to intervene and to appeal to Arroyo to call off the execution.
If the executions push through, Roderick Licayan and Roberto Lara would be the eighth and ninth convicts to be put to death by lethal injection since Congress reinstated the capital punishment in 1994.
Licayan and Lara were convicted for the kidnapping of businessman Romas Kho and his assistant Linda Manaysay in Marikina in August 1999.
Two of the convicts' co-accused, however, were arrested recently and cleared Lara of involvement in the crime. SCT
(January 20, 2004 issue)
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