Leo Pilo Echegaray (11 July 1960 – 5 February 1999) was the first Filipino to be executed after the reinstatement of the death penalty in the Philippines in 1993, some 23 years after the last judicial execution was carried out. The Free Legal Assistance Group or FLAG lawyer Attorney Te worked to stay his execution due to controversies behind the reinstatement of the death penalty. His death sparked national debate over the legality and morality of capital punishment, which was later suspended on 15 April 2006.

Trial and execution

In 1994, Echegaray, a house painter, was accused of repeatedly raping Rodessa, the 10-year-old daughter of his live-in-partner (Rodessa was nicknamed "Baby" by the press). During Echegaray's trial, Rodessa's mother accused her daughter of lying and claimed that the accusation was motivated by the greed of Rodessa's grandmother. On September 7, 1994, Echegaray was convicted by Branch 104 of the Regional Trial Court in

Quezon City Quezon City (, ; ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read and pronounced in Filipino language, Filipino as Kyusi), is the richest and List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 c ...

of rape and was sentenced to death. The death sentence was automatically reviewed by the

Supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

and confirmed on June 25, 1996. Echegaray filed a motion to appeal, which was denied on January 19, 1999. Less than a month later, Echegaray was executed via lethal injection on February 5, 1999. Echegaray was told of the court ruling at noon, three hours before he was to die by lethal injection at Manila's New Bilibid Prison. He is the first man to be executed in the Philippines since 1976, and one of the other 6 Filipino who were executed from 1999 to 2006. Echegaray's final statement was:

''"Sámbayanáng Pilipino, patawarin ako sa kasalanang ipinaratang ninyo sa akin. Pilipino, pinatáy ng kapwa Pilipino."''
("People of the Philippines, forgive me of the sin which you have accused me. A Filipino, killed by fellow Filipinos.")

Although Echegaray had initially maintained his innocence at his trial and in public, he privately admitted his guilt in his last moments. His last words were "Baby, forgive me." He was pronounced dead eight minutes later.

References

External links

* Enbanc Decision (1996-06-25
People of the Philippines vs. Leo Echegaray (GR 117472)
Supreme Court of the Philippines. Retrieved on 22 December 2006. * Enbanc Decision 1998-10-12

Supreme Court of the Philippines. Retrieved on 22 December 2006. * Enbanc Resolution (1999-01-19

Supreme Court of the Philippines. Retrieved on 22 December 2006.

- text of the Philippine Supreme Court ruling affirming the death penalty
Leo Echegaray vs. Secretary of Justice, et al.
- text of the motion for reconsideration (i.e. the decision on Echegaray's appeal)

(CNN)

External links

* ''

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...

'' archive: *
PHILIPPINES: CHILD RAPIST ECHEGARAY EXECUTION (3)
" *
PHILIPPINES: CHILD RAPIST ECHEGARAY EXECUTED (V)
" {{DEFAULTSORT:Echegaray, Leo 1960 births 1999 deaths Executed Filipino people Child sexual abuse in the Philippines Filipino rapists Inmates of the New Bilibid Prison People executed for rape People convicted of child sexual abuse People executed by the Philippines by lethal injection

Trial and execution

See also

References

External links

External links