Arroyo says Malaysia's death-penalty reforms could lead to full abolition

Gloria Arroyo, former president of the Philippines and commissioner of the International Commission Against the Death Penalty, said Malaysia’s 2023 law ending mandatory death sentences could pave the way for total abolition. The legislation, effective from July 4, allows judges to impose life imprisonment instead of death and has been accompanied by a moratorium on executions. Arroyo argued that this sequence—replacing death penalties, imposing a moratorium, then removing the mandatory rule—creates a reform-friendly environment.

She referenced the Philippines’ own abolition journey, citing high rates of overturned death sentences and the 2006 commutation of over 1,000 inmates as evidence that frequent judicial errors undermine the death penalty’s legitimacy. While optimistic, Arroyo cautioned that public fear of crime and political lobbying could prompt a resurgence, particularly for drug offenses, and emphasized the need for a trusted justice system to sustain abolition.