CBCP wants public consultation amid Duterte call for death penalty reimposition

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Tuesday called for a public consultation on the reimposition of the death penalty.

This was after President Rodrigo Duterte, in his fifth State of the Nation Address on Monday, called on Congress to pass a law reviving the death penalty by lethal injection for drug-related cases.

CBCP spokesperson Fr. Jerome Secillano said the Catholic Church continues to oppose the death penalty and called on the President to reconsider the matter.

“Dati na naman tinututulan ng Simbahan ang death penalty at hindi naman nag-iiba ang pananaw ng Simbahan at mananatili ang kanyang pananaw. Nais sana natin na ang Pangulo ay i-reconsider 'yan,” Secillano told GMA News.

He said senators and congressmen must hold a public consultation to know the people’s stand on the issue.

“Tingnan din natin kung ano talaga ang gusto ng publiko kasi hindi tayo puwedeng magpadalos-dalos kung ito lang ang gusto ng Pangulo pero wala sa saloobin ng mga tao, ng publiko. Mas maganda na siguro na magkaroon tayo ng masusing konsultasyon dito sa mga mamamayan,” Secillano said.

He also called for reforms in the justice system.

“Ireporma natin ang justice system kasi naniniwala naman ako na kinakailangan dito na ‘yung conviction talaga ng mga nasasakdal o di kaya ng kriminal, ‘yun talaga ang dapat paigtingin natin dito. And then siyempre, ‘yun talagang sila ay makulong at walang ibibigay na mga pabor,” Secillano said.

"So ito ang mga nakikita natin na pamamaraan para talaga ma-curb natin ‘yung criminality,” he added.

Following Duterte's order to Congress, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the revival of death penalty for drug-related offenses — which is being supported by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency — now has a better chance of being passed in the 18th Congress.

According to Sotto, the bills seeking to revive capital punishment have simply not been prioritized in previous years. He pointed out the proposed measure died with the adjournment of Congress, not junked altogether by lawmakers.

Members of the minority in the Senate, however, are not inclined on supporting the death penalty bill. Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) President Domingo Cayosa, meanwhile, pointed out that an improved justice system is better than death penalty.

For his part,  Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said the House of Representatives will thoroughly deliberate the revival of death penalty for drug-related crimes. —AOL, GMA News