MANILA - Philippine President Gloria Arroyo o­n Saturday said she was dropping government appeals for clemency for a Filipino arrested o­n drugs charges in Malaysia.

In a statement, Arroyo remarked that the Philippines imposed harsh penalties for drugs-related charges so it should not be seeking clemency for a Filipino facing similar charges in another country.

"Here in our country, we want to punish hard drug traffickers, then why should we appeal for them (abroad?)" she said, referring to the case of Andy Baguinda, a Filipino facing possible execution o­n drugs charges in Malaysia.

Arroyo, at the prodding of some legislators, had earlier obtained a 30-day reprieve for the Filipino who said he had been framed.

Death penalty

However the president said she was dropping appeals for clemency, saying that in the past, the Philippines had allowed countries like China to execute convicted Filipino drug offenders.

The Philippines imposes the death penalty for possession of large amounts of banned drugs.

However in September last year, Arroyo suspended executions indefinitely as the Philippine Congress is debating abolition of the death penalty. - AFP