March 7
PHILIPPINES:
Death-row convict Suriaga granted reprieve
There will be no executions this March after the convicted kidnapper Ruben
Suriagas name is included on an updated list of convicts given a reprieve,
Justice Secretary Raul M. Gonzalez told reporters Monday.
Gonzalez said he received the new list from Malacaang on Monday.
He did not know why Suriagas name was omitted from the original list of
persons granted a reprieve, which was released on February 21.
Computer records at the Department of Justice confirmed that Suriagas name
was not on the 1st list.
"Probably it was just omitted," Gonzalez said.
The problem of the missing name arose when the Board and Parole chair,
Teresita Reyes-Domingo, wondered why Suriaga was not granted a reprieve
when he was included on two previous lists.
The President's spokesman and press secretary, Ignacio Bunye, also
wondered why Suriagas name was omitted from the list.
The Palace, he said, will check if Suriaga's name was mistakenly omitted.
There was enough time to find out why the name was omitted, because
Suriaga's date of execution is on March 29, Bunye said.
Convicted by Judge Demetrio Macapagal of Branch 78 of the Quezon City
Regional Trial Court, Suriaga had been reprieved twice by President
Arroyo.
He was originally scheduled for execution on September 30, 2004. On August
20 of that year, the President granted him a 90-day reprieve, and his
execution was rescheduled for December 29.
A 2nd 90-day reprieve came on November 17, moving Suriagas execution to
March 29.
Bunye said that since there was no resurgence in kidnapping and drug
trafficking in the country, convicted kidnappers and drug traffickers
could get a reprieve.
Death sentences, Bunye added, would be carried out only when "necessitated
by circumstances."
Last month, President Arroyo ruled out any executions in her
administration, saying they would happen only when "absolutely required by
the times."
Mrs. Arroyo justified her policy, saying the police managed to curb the
countrys kidnapping and drug problems without resorting to the execution
of convicted kidnappers and drug traffickers.
The February 21 list of reprieved rape convicts has the names of:
- Celso Morfi, who is scheduled for execution on March 2. Moved to May 31.
- Roberto Palero and Filomeno Serrano, scheduled for execution on March 8.
Moved to June 6.
- Hilgem Neno set to die on March 9. Execution moved to June 7.
- Rogelio Ombreso was sentenced to die March 14. Execution moved to June
13.
- Jonel Manio scheduled for execution March 14. Execution moved to June
13.
- Danilo Remudo, Alejandre de los Santos, Lucio Untalan, Baltazar Bongalon
and Fidel Alborida, set to be executed on March 21. Execution moved to
June 20.
- Salvador Miranda and Castro Geraban set to die on March 28. Execution
move to June 27.
- Ramil Rayos, convicted by the Cagayan de Oro City RTC of rape with
homicide, scheduled to die on March 28. Execution moved to June 27.
(source: The Manila Times)
