A militant group in Oriental Negros hailed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her stand on the commutation of the capital punishment, but they questioned the timing and the motives behind her move.

Trelly Marigza, Gabriela Oriental Negros chairperson, said while their group had been pushing for the lifting of the death penalty, the President's action is suspect.

She said Arroyo's move came at a time when the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines had issued a statement opposing the people's initiative, as one of the three modes in amending the 1987 Constitution.

Marigza said the move is politically-motivated and a ploy to divert the attention of the people from the issues against the President.

The Gabriela chairperson opined that Arroyo's stand in the commutation of the death sentence to life imprisonment is "saving the presidency from death."

Marigza said she believes that the president's action may also be due to political pressure from other countries, one of which is Spain.

She said Spain may be pressuring the Philippines to lift the death sentence, because the Chiong rape-slay case in Cebu involves the Aznar family.*JG

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