Arroyo grants reprieve to 10 death row convicts

President Arroyo has granted another round of reprieves to death convicts slated for execution for this month, officials said yesterday.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said the 90-day reprieve was granted Thursday last week. Both officials, however, could not give additional details.

The 90-day reprieve is the third granted this year by the President, a devout Catholic and yet who often finds herself being criticized by the Church for her policies and involvement in controversies.

Gonzalez said he immediately forwarded Malacañang’s letter of endorsement to New Bilibid Prisons Director Vicente Vinarao last week. Vinarao, for his part, was not available for comment.

Gonzalez recalled there were more than 10 death convicts which were granted reprieve. There are about 1,000 convicts still languishing in death row awaiting execution.

Last April, Mrs. Arroyo granted a 90-day reprieve to 21 death convicts who have been scheduled for execution that month and the following May. Their executions had been affirmed by the Supreme Court for crimes ranging from murder and rape to drug trafficking and kidnapping.

Two months earlier, the President also stayed the execution of 14 convicts.

The latest reprieve is expected to be hailed by Church leaders, human rights groups, including the families of the death convicts themselves.

Anti-crime groups and families of victims of heinous crimes, however, have criticized the spate of reprieves by the Chief Executive claiming the administration has been soft in implementing justice.

The Arroyo administration is also under fire for being unable to stop the blatant killings of journalists.

Mrs. Arroyo earlier ruled out any executions during her administration, saying these would happen only when "absolutely required by the times."

Even without resorting to executing death convicts, Mrs. Arroyo said the police have managed to significantly reduce the number of heinous crimes such as kidnappings and drug-related offenses.

The government lifted a ban on judicial executions in 1999 during the term of former President Joseph Estrada as part of the government’s anti-crime drive.

Seven inmates were executed between 1999 and 2000 before Estrada imposed a moratorium on further executions following pressure from Catholic Church and human rights groups.