CBCP calls for prayer as Senate prepares to vote on death penalty

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines on Sunday urged the faithful to pray for senators as they prepare to vote on death penalty bill, in hopes of "touching their conscience."

"Let us pray fervently for the legislators of our country as they prepare to vote on death penalty in the Philippine Senate," the CBCP said in a pastoral statement.

"Let us offer all our Masses for them, asking our Crucified Lord who offered his whole life, body and blood, for the salvation of sinners, to touch their consciences and lead them to abolish capital punishment once and for all," it added.

The statement is expected to be read during Masses this Sunday throughout the country.

House Bill No. 4727 which seeks to reimpose capital punishment on seven drug-related offenses, was approved on Ash Wednesday on its third and final reading in the House of Representatives. 

A total of 272 lawmakers were present during the session in which 217 affirmed the measure, while 54 other lawmakers voted against it, and one abstained.

The CBCP has always been firm in opposing the said bill. It also urged the government to "champion life for all" and not death. 

It reiterated its call to "uphold the sanctity of life and make a stand against death penalty."

"We are not deaf to the cries of the victims of heinous crimes. The victims and their victimizers are both our brothers and sisters," it said, adding that reimposing capital punishment in not proven to be effective in eliminating criminality.

"Even with the best of intentions, capital punishment has never been proven effective as a deterrent to crime. Obviously it is easier to eliminate criminals that to get rid of the root causes of criminality in society." 

In December 2016, CBCP president Archbishop Socrates Villegas dismissed death penalty as a "lazy solution" in curbing criminality in the country. —Marlly Rome C. Bondoc/LBG, GMA News