Senate minority opposes Duterte’s call for death penalty

Last updated on May 6th, 2021 at 09:00 am

METRO MANILA – The members of the oppositions on Monday slams President Rodrigo Duterte’s renewed calls to revive death penalty for drug-related crimes in the country.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon opossed bringing back the death penalty just because of the ‘deficiencies in our judicial system’, urging the government instead of make reforms in the justice and law system.

Duterte, during his fifth State of the Nation Address, has asked the Congress to reimpose the death penalty for drug related charges under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The House of Representatives gave its nod to House Bill No. 4727 in the 17th Congress however it did not went through with the Senate.

Senator and former chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said that the President’s push for the revival of the death penalty for drug related crimes could boost its chances to being enacted into law.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, meanwhile, urged the President to focus on the crisis at hand, saying he should prioritize on strengthening the health programs in the fight against Covid-19 and pushing for the revival of the death penalty is not a solution to the pandemic. The country has been under community quarantine for over four months — the longest in the world. There are currently 83,673 confirmed cases, 1,947 deaths and 26,617 recoveries.