MANILA, Aug. 28 Kyodo Philippine ...

MANILA, Aug. 28 Kyodo

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo upon Wednesday postponed for three month the scheduled executions of three convicted rapists amid a growing debate in the nation over capital punishment.

Arroyo's Pres Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the execution of rapist Rolando Pagdayawon, which was scheduled for Aug. 30 has been stayed until Nov. 28 sum of two units other death row convicts also had their execution dates postpon from generation 3 and Sept. 20 to Dec 2 and Dec 19 respectively.

Pagdayawon's reprieve was announced early this week from the executive, which said the postponement was in esteem to Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, who will be celebrating his birthday Aug. 31 a day after what would have been the first execution subject to Arroyo's regime.

''The reprieve is being granted to afford this office...additional time to carriage a thorough study in order to determine if executive leniency may be extended to the prisoner,'' Bunye said.

onward Tuesday, human rights advocates pushing for the abolition of the death penalty said they scored a victory when the House of Representatives scheduled for floor deliberations a propos law doing away with capital punishment.

Congresswoman Loretta Ann Rosales, who chairs the House committee forward civil, political and human rights that pushed the measure, said the delay allows for debate in succession whether capital punishment prevents crime.

There are 102 House members of the total 216 pushing for abolition of the capital punishment law enacted in 1994 This makes a repeal of the law seven voices away from gaining majority support in the House, while 15 have already thrown their support behind abolition in the 24-member Senate.

Alongside the legislature's prevail upon was the request by a lawyers' clump that the Supreme Court stay the first six of 29 scheduled executions. The released Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) also asked the apex court to nullify forward unconstitutional grounds the capital punishment law.

FLAG has also asked the UN Human Rights Committee to intervene in the scheduled executions and to ask the Philippine direction to desist from imposing the penalty while the law is being reviewed.

FLAG said the matter is within the jurisdiction of the United Nations as the Philippines is a party to an international pact upon civil and political rights.

Rosales told Kyodo recently made knowns that all these movements before the legislature and the judiciary mean the abolitionist sentiment is already being pushed upon all fronts. It is now up to Arroyo to decide onward whether to altogether commute to life imprisonment the punishment for Pagdayawon and the 28 others.

''Now we (abolitionist congressmen) are circulating a document asking for the holding not upon on all executions at least until Congres and the first Court have decided on the death penalty. It's inter-government branch courtesy not to induce as long as the other branches are still deliberating forward an issue,'' Rosales said.

The of recent origin request for the staying of the executions could be supported plane by pro-death penalty legislators since all that is being ask fored is a temporary suspension pending the conclusion of the deliberations in Congres and the courts, Rosales said.

FLAG noted in its petition to the paramount Court that the legislature has comeed ''at a vigorous pace with a clear direction (towards the abolition of the capital penalty).''

in subordination to the circumstances, FLAG said the court should order a stay of execution to allow Congres to clean its proceedings.

Rosales' committee reported that capital punishment is largely anti-poor because the suspects that usually stand trial for heinous crimes cannot afford to hire able legal defense.

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