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Pope’s call for global abolition revives debate on death penalty in PHL
Pope Francis' call for the "global abolition" of the death penalty has revived the debate in the Philippines between critics and advocates of capital punishment, which had been outlawed since 2006.
Francis made the appeal during a historic address before a joint session of the US Congress on Thursday (US time).
"The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development," Pope Francis said.
"This conviction has led me, from the beginning of my ministry, to advocate at different levels for the global abolition of the death penalty. I am convinced that this way is the best since every life is sacred," he continued.
According to Amnesty International, 140 countries have abolished the death penalty. In 2013, 22 countries around the world were known to have carried out executions and at least 57 to have imposed death sentences, including the US.
Former Senate President Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel, a key figure in a campaign that eventually led to the abolition of the death penalty in the Philippines in 2006, welcomed the Pope's message.
"It is about time that a world leader like Pope Francis tells the American people to their faces that death penalty is wrong, and that human life is invaluable," Pimentel told GMA News Online.
"To paraphrase his words, despite the heinousness of the offense committed, there is always hope for the criminal's rehabilitation," said the former lawmaker.
Pimentel said Pope Francis' words could not have come at a more opportune time.
"The world is blessed that we have such a vicar of Christ at this time when money seems to be the end all and be all of capitalism," said Pimentel.
Meanwhile, Dante Jimenez, founding chair of the 10,000-strong Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), said while he respected the Pope's position, he and his group still believed that the death penalty should be imposed for heinous crimes in the Philippines.
"Karapatan ni Pope Francis iyon to say those things. We respect his holiness Pope Francis sa kanyang paniniwala. But you see, there should be an exception to this call," Jimenez told GMA News Online in a separate interview.
"Dapat respetuhin ang mga bansa na may death penalty sa heinous crimes na nangyayari sa kanilang communities.... May independence ang bawat bansa.... Hindi puwede maging applicable to all [ang suggestion ni Pope]," he added.
Jimenez said his group had long advocated the restoration of the death penalty for heinous crimes like rape, murder and drug trafficking, as well offenses like plunder.
"Re-rape-in mo na, papatayin at susunugin mo pa. Pinapatay talaga ang kabataan natin dahil sa illegal drug tafficking. Dapat sila parusahan in accordance to law of state," Jimenez said.
Sen. Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, staunch anti-drug advocate, last year filed Senate Bill 2080, or "An Act Imposing Death Penalty in the Philippines," which pushes for the revival of capital punishment for heinous crimes.
The committee that spearheaded Sotto's proposal is led by Pimentel's son, incumbent Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III.
In January last year, De Lima expressed reservations about reviving the death penalty.
"Ang death penalty kasi, irreversible na iyan. Once imposed, hindi mo na puwedeng mabawi iyan and then ang criminal justice natin, marami pang flaws," De Lima had said.
The Justice secretary added that the "best deterrent" against heinous crimes is not the death penalty but the certainty of prosecution and punishment.
Even President Benigno Aquino III remained unconvinced capital punishment should be revived in the country.
Jimenez on Friday, however, said the death penalty should be handed down especially to "recidivist" or repeat offenders, even as he cited as an example the continuous illegal drug activities inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
"Sa Bilibid, pinarusahan mo na ng life sentence, gumagawa pa ng krimen sa loob. Do they deserve another life sentence? Gagastusan mo pa iyan, papakainin mo pa, eh ayaw naman nila matuto," said Jimenez.
"Do they deserve to live? How about the victims? How about their rights?" Jimenez added.
Jimenez suspected former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo only had selfish intentions when she allowed the death penalty to be outlawed in 2006.
"Matagal na naman wina-warning ang Arroyo administration na lalago na naman ang krimen 'pag tinaggal ang death penalty. Pero ayun, kaya tinanggal niya, kasi alam niya makakasuhan siya ng plunder," Jimenez said.
Jimenez said that the issue on whether to abolish or revive the death penalty sentence was being tainted by politics.
"Nagawa na iyon before [pagtanggal sa death penalty]. Napupulitika iyon. Dapat ang plunderers ilagay talaga sa death row pero sila mismo gumawa paraan para matanggal iyan. Dapat buhayin uli iyan," Jimenez said.
He said he saw nothing wrong or dangerous in bringing back the death penalty, so long as the law reviving it undergoes serious scrutiny by lawmakers and that the courts do not commit wrongful convictions.
Jimenez remained hopeful that despite the significance of Pope Francis' historic address before a joint US Congress, Americans are most likely "not going to heed" Francis' appeal against the death penalty.
"Kanya-kanya iyan eh. Anyone can suggest. Ang importante, there should be an exception to the rule... Naniniwala ako na ang US ay bansa na naniniwala sa due process," the VACC official said.
Jimenez said while fellow Catholics like him should respect Church teachings, they should also be critical and base their beliefs and actions on actual situations in their communities or countries.
"Hindi naman puwed eh lahat ay 'Amen' na lang sa sinasabi ng Simabahanng Katoliko. Lahat ng nangyayayri sa kapaligiran, walang kontrol lagi sa sitwasyon ang Simbahan," Jimenez said.
The death penalty issue made headlines earlier in the year because of overseas Filipino worker Mary Jane Veloso, sentenced to death by the Indonesian government but was temporarily spared at the last minute. She was convicted of sneaking in 2.6 kilos of heroin from Malaysia to Indonesia in 2010.
Indonesia decided to defer the OFW's execution by firing squad to led Philippine investigators probe her alleged illegal recruiters. —NB, GMA News
Francis made the appeal during a historic address before a joint session of the US Congress on Thursday (US time).
"The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development," Pope Francis said.
"This conviction has led me, from the beginning of my ministry, to advocate at different levels for the global abolition of the death penalty. I am convinced that this way is the best since every life is sacred," he continued.
According to Amnesty International, 140 countries have abolished the death penalty. In 2013, 22 countries around the world were known to have carried out executions and at least 57 to have imposed death sentences, including the US.
Former Senate President Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel, a key figure in a campaign that eventually led to the abolition of the death penalty in the Philippines in 2006, welcomed the Pope's message.
"It is about time that a world leader like Pope Francis tells the American people to their faces that death penalty is wrong, and that human life is invaluable," Pimentel told GMA News Online.
"To paraphrase his words, despite the heinousness of the offense committed, there is always hope for the criminal's rehabilitation," said the former lawmaker.
Pimentel said Pope Francis' words could not have come at a more opportune time.
"The world is blessed that we have such a vicar of Christ at this time when money seems to be the end all and be all of capitalism," said Pimentel.
Meanwhile, Dante Jimenez, founding chair of the 10,000-strong Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), said while he respected the Pope's position, he and his group still believed that the death penalty should be imposed for heinous crimes in the Philippines.
"Karapatan ni Pope Francis iyon to say those things. We respect his holiness Pope Francis sa kanyang paniniwala. But you see, there should be an exception to this call," Jimenez told GMA News Online in a separate interview.
"Dapat respetuhin ang mga bansa na may death penalty sa heinous crimes na nangyayari sa kanilang communities.... May independence ang bawat bansa.... Hindi puwede maging applicable to all [ang suggestion ni Pope]," he added.
Jimenez said his group had long advocated the restoration of the death penalty for heinous crimes like rape, murder and drug trafficking, as well offenses like plunder.
"Re-rape-in mo na, papatayin at susunugin mo pa. Pinapatay talaga ang kabataan natin dahil sa illegal drug tafficking. Dapat sila parusahan in accordance to law of state," Jimenez said.
Sen. Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, staunch anti-drug advocate, last year filed Senate Bill 2080, or "An Act Imposing Death Penalty in the Philippines," which pushes for the revival of capital punishment for heinous crimes.
The committee that spearheaded Sotto's proposal is led by Pimentel's son, incumbent Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III.
In January last year, De Lima expressed reservations about reviving the death penalty.
"Ang death penalty kasi, irreversible na iyan. Once imposed, hindi mo na puwedeng mabawi iyan and then ang criminal justice natin, marami pang flaws," De Lima had said.
The Justice secretary added that the "best deterrent" against heinous crimes is not the death penalty but the certainty of prosecution and punishment.
Even President Benigno Aquino III remained unconvinced capital punishment should be revived in the country.
Jimenez on Friday, however, said the death penalty should be handed down especially to "recidivist" or repeat offenders, even as he cited as an example the continuous illegal drug activities inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
"Sa Bilibid, pinarusahan mo na ng life sentence, gumagawa pa ng krimen sa loob. Do they deserve another life sentence? Gagastusan mo pa iyan, papakainin mo pa, eh ayaw naman nila matuto," said Jimenez.
"Do they deserve to live? How about the victims? How about their rights?" Jimenez added.
Jimenez suspected former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo only had selfish intentions when she allowed the death penalty to be outlawed in 2006.
"Matagal na naman wina-warning ang Arroyo administration na lalago na naman ang krimen 'pag tinaggal ang death penalty. Pero ayun, kaya tinanggal niya, kasi alam niya makakasuhan siya ng plunder," Jimenez said.
Jimenez said that the issue on whether to abolish or revive the death penalty sentence was being tainted by politics.
"Nagawa na iyon before [pagtanggal sa death penalty]. Napupulitika iyon. Dapat ang plunderers ilagay talaga sa death row pero sila mismo gumawa paraan para matanggal iyan. Dapat buhayin uli iyan," Jimenez said.
He said he saw nothing wrong or dangerous in bringing back the death penalty, so long as the law reviving it undergoes serious scrutiny by lawmakers and that the courts do not commit wrongful convictions.
Jimenez remained hopeful that despite the significance of Pope Francis' historic address before a joint US Congress, Americans are most likely "not going to heed" Francis' appeal against the death penalty.
"Kanya-kanya iyan eh. Anyone can suggest. Ang importante, there should be an exception to the rule... Naniniwala ako na ang US ay bansa na naniniwala sa due process," the VACC official said.
Jimenez said while fellow Catholics like him should respect Church teachings, they should also be critical and base their beliefs and actions on actual situations in their communities or countries.
"Hindi naman puwed eh lahat ay 'Amen' na lang sa sinasabi ng Simabahanng Katoliko. Lahat ng nangyayayri sa kapaligiran, walang kontrol lagi sa sitwasyon ang Simbahan," Jimenez said.
The death penalty issue made headlines earlier in the year because of overseas Filipino worker Mary Jane Veloso, sentenced to death by the Indonesian government but was temporarily spared at the last minute. She was convicted of sneaking in 2.6 kilos of heroin from Malaysia to Indonesia in 2010.
Indonesia decided to defer the OFW's execution by firing squad to led Philippine investigators probe her alleged illegal recruiters. —NB, GMA News
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