Arroyo abolished death penalty to woo Church - rights lawyer

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo never worked for the repeal of the death penalty law until last year when she courted the influential Catholic Church to preserve her hold on power, a human rights lawyer said Tuesday. "She only discovered that she was 'pro-life' when she was teetering on being removed and she needed the support of the bishops ... Never mind that she changes her 'principles' as quickly as she loses her temper or (presidential chief of staff) Mike Defensor changes his stands on many things," human rights lawyer Theodore Te said in his web log. The lawyer's remark came a day after Pope Benedict XVI, holding up a copy of Republic Act 9346, congratulated Mrs. Arroyo for abolishing the death penalty in the Philippines. The abolition of the capital punishment was one of two gifts the President presented to the Pope during her visit Monday at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. But according to Te, Mrs. Arroyo did not deserve the pontifical blessing as the abolition was a mere reflection of her character as a "trapo (traditional politician)." When Mrs. Arroyo was a senator, Te said that she voted yes by default to the death penalty law. When she was vice president, she marched with a hanky-covered "Baby" Echegaray along Ayala Avenue in Makati City with the likes of Ana Consuelo Madrigal, and then First Lady Loi Estrada. At the time, they were clamoring that convicted rapist Leo Echegaray be meted the death penalty. Even after she took power in 2001, Te said Mrs. Arroyo "never certified abolition bills as urgent" and even went to the extent of saying that she would continue to execute kidnappers and drug dealers. "Never mind all these things, mind only that she has repealed the death penalty law and gotten a pat on the back and a 'well done' from the Pope," Te said. - GMANews.TV