THE PHILIPPINES. ROMANIAN HEAD BACKS REPEAL OF DEATH PENALTY

Romanian President Traian Basescu lauded President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for her "Christian courage" when she announced the commutation of all death sentences into life imprisonment. Speaker Jose de Venecia, who visited Bucharest recently, relayed Basescu's remark lauding Mrs. Arroyo's decision she announced during her Easter Sunday message.
Her act of commuting the death sentences has been viewed as a prelude to the lifting abolishment of the death penalty.