Leo Echegaray

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Leo Echegaray y Pilo (July 11,1960 - February 5,1999) was the first Filipino to be meted the death penalty (by lethal injection) in 1999 after its reinsatement in the Philippines in 1995, and 23 years after the last execution was carried out under Philippine law. His death sparked debates about the legality and morality of the death penalty in the Philippines.

Echegaray was accused of raping his daughter Rodessa Echegaray (nicknamed by the media as "Baby Echegaray") in April 1994. He was convicted by Branch 104 of the Regional Trial Court in Quezon City on September 7, 1994. The death sentence was automatically reviewed by the Supreme Court and was affirmed on June 25, 1996. It was appealed by Echegaray, but the appeal was denied on January 19, 1999.

Less than a month later, Echegaray was executed on February 5, 1999. Witnesses during the execution have reported that his last words were, "Sambayanang Pilipino, patawarin ako sa kasalanang ipinaratang ninyo sa akin. Pilipino, pinatay ng kapwa Pilipino." [1] ("People of the Philippines, forgive me for the sin that you have accused me of. A Filipino, killed by a fellow Filipino.")

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