Church welcomes Lacson-Sotto turnabout on death penalty

The Catholic Church has welcomed the withdrawal of support for the revival of death penalty by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, and Senator Panfilo Lacson.

An article posted on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news site said that the "recent change of heart of the two veteran lawmakers will help the Church’s pro-life advocacy."

“Coming from two prominent and veteran legislators, this will boost the Church’s advocacy against any moves to reintroduce capital punishment in our statute books,” said Bishop Joel Baylon, chairman of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care.

Church welcomes Lacson-Sotto’s withdrawal of support for death penalty https://t.co/nbFIYtSebH #cbcpnews

— CBCPNews (@cbcpnews) November 7, 2021

Lacson and Sotto – who are running for the top posts in the 2022 elections, earlier said that they are now against death penalty after years of seeking its reimposition as legislators.

Bishop Baylon said that capital punishment will never be a solution to crime,  adding that "It is not the severity of punishment, but the certainty that a person, who commits a crime, will be held accountable for his acts and omissions, is what will deter crime.”

Further, Baylon said that the Church advocates a "reform-based" correctional program and not a punitive one, which deprives the individual a chance for reform.

On Friday, Lacson and Sotto said they are no longer supporting the reimposition of death penalty in the country, after a "change of heart" and finding "better solution" in dealing with heinous crimes. —LBG GMA News