Duterte likely to certify as urgent bill reviving death penalty- Palace
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2019 06:52:55 +0000
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is likely to certify as urgent the bill seeking to reinstate the death penalty, since he pitched it during his State of the Nation Address (SONA), his spokesman said on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters, Salvador Panelo said Duterte wanted to reinstate capital punishment for heinous crimes related to drugs and corruption because he thought it would mitigate the problems.
“Given na sinabi niya yun sa (he mentioned it in his) SONA, most likely,” Panelo said during a press briefing when asked if the President would certify the death penalty measure as urgent after his long-time aide, Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, filed his version of the bill.
“Ang feeling ni Presidente ‘yan ang pinakamabigat na problema natin (The President felt that these are our biggest problems). One is corruption. Number two is yung sa droga (these drugs). Kaya siguro mas gusto niya ‘yun (That’s why he wants it), hoping that it will mitigate the upsurge of this drug menace as well as the activities of plunderers,” he said.
Panelo, who is also Duterte’s chief legal counsel, said the President may prefer hanging to lethal injection as the mode of execution.
“Kung tatanungin mo siya, walang gastos eh ano na lang, lubid. But I think ‘yung dati natin siguro, lethal injection siguro yung dati,” the Palace official said.
Asked if the Palace was confident that Congress would pass the proposed measure, Panelo said, “Depende ‘yun sa Congress (It depends on Congress).”
“Sila naman ang nagde-decide (They’re the ones who will decide). He (Duterte) is to suggest. Sa tingin niya mas makakatulong ‘yun (He thinks such measure will help us),” he added.
During Duterte’s annual report, he urged Congress to pass a measure reimposing the capital punishment for heinous crimes and drug-related offenses, as well as plunder.
The death penalty bill has faced strong opposition from senators of the 17th Congress. The House of Representatives, however, passed the proposed measure.
With Duterte’s candidates dominating the recent midterm elections, the administration could find it easier to pass bills with more support from the Senate.
Duterte has been hoping to reinstate the death penalty in the Philippines, where nearly 80 percent of its population is made up of Catholics, as he wages his war on illegal drugs and pursues an anti-crime campaign.
In the last Congress, the House withdrew its approval of a bill that imposed the death penalty for drug offenses.
The death penalty was abolished in the Philippines in 2006. CATHERINE S. VALENTE
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