Jailbirds sing to stop Philippines execution

8220;Deceit and abuse,
Treachery, theft and murder
Whatever the motives
Were not the Creator8217;s design
Every man will get his due
Come Judgment Day.8221;
Those advocating the death penalty, who make up a huge majority in this Roman Catholic Asian nation, answered back with their own song, written by Senator Vicente Sotto and performed by her daughter Ciara Sotto. The song, dedicated to the victim 8212; in this case Echegaray8217;s owndaughter 8212; goes:
8220;You reached for the sky
The reward was bitter
But you stood for your rights
You fought and you won
Your purity was restored
And your freedom is at hand.8221;
Echegaray will be the first of nearly 900 prisoners condemned to death in this predominantly Roman Catholic nation. An independent nationwide poll in November found 81 per cent backing for capital punishment.