NO REPRIEVE FOR KIDNAPPERS, DRUG PUSHERS -- PALACE

THERE will be no reprieve for prisoners convicted of crimes involving
kidnapping for ransom or smuggling and manufacture of illegal drugs,
Malacanang said Friday.

"In some cases, the President is prepared to show leniency," Presidential
Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said in a radio interview this morning as he
commented on the reprieves President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo granted six
convicted rapists scheduled for lethal injection.

"In general, our President is pro-life and she has declared this many
times," Bunye said.

"But the President clearly stated in a number of interviews that when it
comes to certain crimes, specifically on drugs and kidnapping, there are no
ifs and buts," Bunye explained.

In the case of the six convicted rapists, the President believes there is
still a chance they can be rehabilitated so she exercised leniency, Bunye said.

"And they are unlike drug convicts whose crimes affect many and kidnapping,
which also affects the economy of the nation," Bunye added.

"There is no need to amend the law on capital punishment because the
President has the power to grant pardons and reprieves and she can allow
capital punishment to be implemented," Bunye said.

On Wednesday, the President granted six convicted rapists a 10-day reprieve
on Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo's recommendation.

All were scheduled to be executed by lethal injection within the month.

Since the President took over in 2001, no death convict has been executed.
However she came under pressure to implement the death penalty after
kidnappers killed Coca-Cola Export Corp. executive Betty Chua Sy.