authority also fulfills the purpose of defending public order and ensuring people's safety, while at the same time offering the offender an incentive and help to change his or his behavior and berehabilitated. According to the Popein said Encyclical, “It is clear that, for these purposes to be achieved, the nature and extent of the punishment must be carefully evaluated and decided upon, and ought not to go to the extreme of executing the offender except in cases of absolute necessity: in other words, when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society. Today however, as a result of steady improvementsin the organization of the penal system, such casesare veryrare; if not practically non-existent”. Westill maintain our position in CHR Resolution No. Ag91-033 that death penalty is inhuman and doesnotreally deter crime, and sometimesit results in an innocent person being hanged. It is against the principle on justice that holds that punishment should educate and rehabilitate the offender. Death penalty, whichis revenge, is the opposite. While the rest of the world finds it an aberration to retain capital punishmentin its penal books, the Philippines views capital punishment an impedanceto criminality. The abolition of the Death Penalty is thus necessary for the achievement of International Standards. By abolishing the Death Penalty, we would be providing the convicted but innocenta chancefor reprieve. WHEREFORE, the Commission on Human Rights RESOLVES AS ITIS HEREBY RESOLVED,to submit this Resolution to the Philippine Congress and to His Excellency President Fidel V. Ramosto exercise his powerof Executive Clemency in the case of Leo P. Echegaray and Pablito Andanin the meantimethe Congresswill deliberate on the repeal of Republic Act No. 7659. It is also recommended that the Philippine Senate ratify the Second Protocol to the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights abolishing death penalty. Doneonthis 6th day of March 1997intheCity of Pasig. (originally signed) . AURORA P.NAVARRETE-RECINA Chairperson (with separate opinion) NASSER A. MAROHOMSALIC Commissioner (originally signed) VICENTEP. SIBULO Commissioner 10 (originally signed) MERCEDESV. CONTRERAS Commissioner (originally signed) JORGE R. COQUIA Commissioner