[JURIST] President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo [official profile; JURIST news archive] of the Philippines [official website] Saturday signed into law a bill [House bill summary] abolishing the death penalty. The law repeals the country's 12-year old death penalty and converts all current death penalty sentences into terms of life imprisonment.

The Philippines Senate and House of Representatives passed the bill [JURIST report] earlier in June. The legislation went directly to Arroyo after bypassing ordinary bicarmeral negotiations. AP has more. The Philippines Star has local coverage.