The murder toll continues to fall in the Philippines,...

The murder toll continues to fall in the Philippines, with an average of eight people slain every day in the first half of the year. A total of 2,844 people were murdered from January through June, down 6% from the 3,020 murders in the same period in 2000, according to police figures cited by Senator Loren Legarda, a member of the anti-crime Citizens' Drug Watch Foundation.
Murder convicts accounted for 23% of the 1,815 inmates on death row as of July 31. Supporters of capital punishment claim an annual average 3% decline in murders can be attributed to the reinstatement of the death penalty.
However, the recent drop in murders coincides with the coming to power of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who opposes capital punishment and has vowed to stay all executions during her tenure.