KAREN S. GOMEZ-DUMPIT Commissioner We all want to live a life with dignity where not only are we able to live, but also that we are respected, we respect the rights of others, and we are able to realize our full potential as human beings. In my service as focal commissioner on the right to life, however, | have seen how pubilic policy on the death penalty vacillated with the issues related to the War on Drugs. We have been bombarded with alternatives that still focus on the misguided theory that some lives are less than others. This theory propounds that drug addicts do not deserve the right to life, and this gives rise to violations that include them not being afforded due process or outright shot on the streets. At the legislative front, there were calls for the reimposition of the death penalty for drug-related crimes. We have drawn these materials from scientific studies as well as from international and local laws, and we hope they will be considered by our legislators and policy makers. The Commission on Human Rights emphatically maintains that the right to life is the sacred cornerstone of human rights. Protecting the right to life will ensure the dignity of all persons. We encourage all to use and disseminate this book. Exercise your rights, call your legislators to honor the right to life, and always keep in mind the power of life and second chances.