Superintendent Venancio Tesoro at the lethal injection

MUNTINLUPA CITY, METRO MANILA, PHILIPPINES - 2004/02/27: Superintendent Venancio Tesoro at the lethal injection chamber at New Bilibid Prison. Tesoro administrated all seven executions between 1999 and 2000, of Leo Echegaray in February 5, 1999; Eduardo Agbayani in June 25, 1999; Archie Bulan, Jesus Morallos and Dante Piandong were simultaneously executed on July 25, 1999; Pedrito Andan, October 26, 1999; and Andres Bartolome, January 6, 2000. The then-president Joseph Estrada declared a moratorium on judicial executions amid pressure from the influential Catholic church and human rights groups. The New Bilibid Prison is a high security prison with about 10,000 inmates, approximately 1,000 of whom are on death row. Of these, 174 have reached the end of their appeals and their death sentences have been affirmed. They now believe they will die after President Arroyo met with members of the Chinese business community and lifted the moratorium on death penalty on 15th December 2004. (Photo by Gerhard Joren/LightRocket via Getty Images)