Pacquiao counters CBCP on death penalty: 'Nagkataon lang na inosente si Jesus'

Senator Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday defended anew his stand on reimposing the death penalty, this time addressing Catholic bishops' statement that Jesus Christ was innocent and died "that there may be no more deaths like that."

"Opo, totoo 'yan (na inosente si Jesus Christ). In fact, it happened that way para tayo ay may kaligtasan. Ang ibig ko lang sabihin, noon pa man ay may batas na ng parusang kamatayan ang government. Nagkataon lang na inosente si Jesus Christ," Pacquiao said in an interview on Unang Balita.

Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines' (CBCP) president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas on Monday had argued in a forum that Jesus was an innocent victim of death penalty.

"The Lord, Jesus Christ, died because of death penalty. He was crucified. Jose Rizal died because of death penalty. Andres Bonifacio died because of death penalty. All three died being innocent," Villegas said.

Villegas also stated that the death penalty has no biblical foundation, saying that is the "exact opposite" of what Jesus Christ wants.

"When Jesus died on the cross, voluntarily accepting death, he accepted death so that there will be no longer be more deaths. He made his death as the last one. So there will be no more deaths from injustice or oppression. Yet the dying and killings continue," Villegas said.

In January, Pacquiao batted for the death penalty, saying even Jesus Christ was sentenced to death.

“Sa Panginoon, biblically, binibigyan ng Panginoon ng karapatan ang government to use capital punishment,” Pacquiao, also a pastor, said in an interview with reporters.

“Even Jesus Christ nga nasintensyahan ng kamatayan dahil government nag-impose talaga ng kamatayan,” he added.

Senate still divided

Meanwhile, the senator said the Senate is still divided over the reimposition of the death penalty.

"Medyo hati kami at hindi pa sigurado 'yung bilang talaga kung ilan kami pero talagang hati ang Senado," he said in the Unang Balita interview.

"Ang kailangan siguro ay konting explanation pa about that. Also, we're pushing one by one, itong illegal drugs muna," Pacquiao added.

Asked what crimes were included in the reimposition of death penalty bill, Pacquiao said they are currently focusing on illegal drugs.

"Right now we're only pushing for drug traffickers. Sa drugs lang talaga 'yung gusto naming maipasa... Drugs lang muna ang pinakaproblema dito sa ating bansa," Pacquiao said. —Marlly Rome C. Bondoc/KG, GMA News