Message from the Commissioner GwendolynLI. Pimentel-Gana I wish to congratulate the Human Rights Education and Promotion Office for putting togetherin a compendiumthe CHR’s Position Papers, Advisories and Resolutions on the Death Penalty. This is a very timely publication considering the on-going debates within ourlegislative halls as well as in the public discourse regarding the moveto reinstitute the Death Penaltyin the Philippines. I strongly believe that the death penaltyviolates the rightto life, which happens to be the most fundamental right of all humanrights. It also violates rights that are firmly inscribed in our Constitution that rejects the imposition of any cruel, inhuman or degrading punishmentortreatment. I believe that the death penalty does not make our countrya safer place. There exists no conclusive evidence that it deters crime moreeffectively than other punishments. The most worrying fact about the death penalty, however, is the possibility of executing an innocent personespecially when youconsiderthe current state of the Philippine Justice System. It has in my mindnoplaceinanycivilized society. There is a strong movement to abolish the death penalty around the world. Let us continue to bepartofthat global coalition that works towardsit total abolition. We have made a verysignificant step in making oursociety more just and civilized when we dispensed with the death penalty in 2006. Thus, it is incumbent upon us humanrights advocatesto intensifyourefforts to prevent anyformofbackslide in ourlegal system. I strongly believe that one day our country menwill give more emphasis to the value of life and eschewthe use of state power to commit grave violations againstit. It is our fe n that this workwill greatly contribute to achieving those Mabuhay! ix