The court order suspended the execution of Leo Echegaray, convicted of repeatedly raping his 10-year-old step-daughter, until after 15 June.

Troops and police had already sealed off the prison and Echegaray had been moved to a waiting room next to the death chamber where hew was due tio be put to death by lethal injection.

Hundreds of troops set up road blocks around the prison as opponents of the death penalty continued a vigil nearby.

Echegaray's lawyer had asked for a stay of execution while Congress conducts a review of the death penalty. The Philippines is one of a handful of countries which abolished and then restored the death penalty.

Appeals rejected

Leo Echegaray: Still on death row

Echegeray was set to become the first person to be executed since the overthrow of the regime of President Ferdinand Marcos in 1986.

The last execution was in 1976 - and the death penalty was abolished in 1987.

On Saturday, President Estrada rejected appeals from human rights activists, the Pope, the European Union, Canada and Mr Ecehgaray to commute the death sentence.

In doing so, the president described Mr Echegaray as bestial - a sentiment that appears to reflect popular approval of the resumption of executions.

Capital punishment restored

President Estrada: Rejected appeals to commute sentence

Capital punishment was re-introduced five years ago for murder, rape, kidnapping and drug trafficking in response to a rising tide of violent crime.

Amnesty International's Asia Pacific Director, Rory Mungovern, says the Philippines is moving against the worldwide trend which has seen the death penalty being discontinued in countries such as Russia.

There are now more than 800 people on death row awaiting the outcome of Supreme Court reviews of their cases.

Popular debate

The pending execution has set off a debate among many Filipinos over the death penalty.

Now legislators will debate whether to keep capital punishment

Leading the campaign against the death penalty is the Roman Catholic church - which most Filipinos say they belong to.

One of the church's complaints is that the vast majority of those sentenced to death are too poor to afford an adequate defence.

On Sunday, several Manila radio stations opened their telephone lines so listeners could express their views on capital punishment.