Some senators want the death penalty imposed only on heinous crimes like drug trafficking, but others are open to including plunder in it.
Senator Win Gatchalian, one of those who filed the death penalty bill, wants capital punishment limited to the drug lords involved in high-volume drug trafficking.
Senator Joel Villanueva, son of the founder and leader of Jesus Is Lord, favors reimposing the death penalty on plunder and rape, but he says he does not trust the country’s justice system.
Senator Manny Pacquiao, known for his “biblical verses,” says they are yet to tackle the manner by which the death penalty will be implemented.
Senator Panfilo Lacson on Thursday recommended that the law enforcers who will be found guilty of planting evidence in anti-drug operations should share the death penalty with the drug pushers.
Senator Risa Hontiveros says instead of the death penalty to curb heinous crimes, the solution lies in reforming our justice and criminal system.
In his last years as a mayor, Gatchalian says, he has seen drug lords hire the best lawyers to defend themselves because they have money.
Even if they are in prison, Gatchalian says, they can still run their businesses.
“So my view here is let’s go finish the root cause of illegal drugs, which is the drug lords. That’s why my death penalty bill is limited to drug trafficking, which is the drug lords,” he said.
Asked if he is amenable to include plunderers, Gatchalian said he was open to discussing it.
But Gatchalian believes the death penalty bill will stand a better chance in the Senate if it is limited to high-volume drug trafficking because these people have the capacity to defend themselves.
If they get convicted, he says, the death penalty will eventually end the root cause of drugs.
“We are not talking about grams, we are talking about hundreds and thousands of kilos of drugs,” Gatchalian said.
“I would like to focus on that. That's the root cause of our crimes like rape, a lot of them are connected to illegal drugs.”
But he is open to including plunderers in his bill.
“I'm open to it. We have to discuss it and see what are the merits of including them, but my focus right now is reducing drugs, Gatchalian said.
He expressed hope about eliminating illegal drugs in the country, “And to do it we need to get rid of the source”•the drug lords.”
Senate President Vicente Sotto III also believes the death penalty can move faster in Congress if the proposed legislation applies capital punishment against high-level drug traffickers only.
“So far, many senators support the idea of reimposing the death penalty on high-level drug traffickers,” Sotto said.