Philippines
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- presidential republic
- CONSTITUTION
- February 11, 1987
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- mixed legal system of Anglo-Saxon, Islamic, common law, customary law
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- bicameral, Senate (Senado) and House of Representatives (Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan)
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court (judges appointed for four years by the President on the recommendation of the Council of Judges and Lawyers); Court of Appeals
RELIGIONS
83% Catholics, 9% Protestants, 5% Muslims, 3% Buddhists, and other minorities
From the country
- APRIL 17, 2006PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
THE PHILIPPINES. ARROYO CALLED TO ELIMINATE PHILIPPINE DEATH PENALTY
Philippine President Gloria Arroyo faced calls to permanently abolish capital punishment after she commuted more than 1,000 death sentences just before Easter.
- APRIL 16, 2006PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
THE PHILIPPINES. PRESIDENT COMMUTES ALL DEATH SENTENCES
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo commuted all death sentences to life imprisonment in an Easter gesture slammed by critics as an abuse of power. "I wish to announce that we are changing our policy on those who have been imposed the death pena
- APRIL 5, 2006PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
THE PHILIPPINES. LAWMAKERS APPROVE ANTI-TERRORISM BILL
Philippine lawmakers approved an anti-terrorism bill after libertarian legislators watered it down by blocking the death penalty as punishment for deadly attacks.
- APRIL 4, 2006PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
EUROPEAN UNION. EU HAILS PHILIPPINE LEADER'S RESTRAINT ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
the European Union welcomed Philippine President Gloria Arroyo's decision to commute the sentences of dozens of inmates on death row.
- MARCH 23, 2006PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
THE PHILIPPINES. HUMAN RIGHTS AGENCY: POLICE EXECUTED SUSPECTS
the Philippines' human rights commission recommended a criminal investigation for the alleged summary executions of several terror suspects by police assaulting a prison after a botched escape attempt.
- MARCH 6, 2006PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
THE PHILIPPINES. SUPREME COURT REBUKES THE COURT OF APPEALS ON DEATH PENALTY CASE
the Philippine Supreme Court rebuked the Court of Appeals for dismissing an appeal on a death penalty case that the appellate court should have automatically and mandatorily reviewed even though the appeal was abandoned by the death convict.
- MARCH 5, 2006KuwaitDEATH PENALTY
KUWAIT. PHILIPPINE VICE PRESIDENT IN KUWAIT TO APPEAL FOR LIFE OF FILIPINO TEACHER
Philippine Vice-President Noli de Castro went to Kuwait to negotiate for the life of Marilou Ranario, an overseas Filipino worker who was sentenced to death for murdering her employer.
- MARCH 5, 2006PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
THE PHILIPPINES. DEATH SENTENCE ON MAMBURAO 6 `BIASED,’ SAYS FARMER'S WIFE
the decision by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court against a group of farmers known as the “Mamburao 6”, who were convicted, together with a former congressman, of killing the two sons of a local landlord in Mamburao, the Philippines, was “biased,” said
- MARCH 1, 2006PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
THE PHILIPPINES. FORMER CONGRESSMAN AND SIX FARMERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
a former congressman and six farmers were sentenced to death in the Philippines for the 1997 killing of two brothers in Mindoro province.
- FEBRUARY 22, 2006PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
THE PHILIPPINES. ARROYO: I'LL WORK TO SCRAP DEATH PENALTY
for the first time since taking office in 2001, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo categorically stated that she was for scrapping capital punishment and that she would see to the immediate passage of legislation to abolish the Death Penalty Law.
- FEBRUARY 22, 2006PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
THE PHILIPPINES. ARROYO CRITIC LAUDS PRESIDENT’S CALL TO SCRAP DEATH PENALTY
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's call to scrap the death penalty in the Philippines gained appreciation even from her critics at the House of Representatives.
- FEBRUARY 15, 2006PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
THE PHILIPPINES. PRESIDENT COMMUTES 280 DEATH SENTENCES
Philippine President Gloria Arroyo ordered prison authorities to commute the sentences of 280 people on death row to life imprisonment.