The House Justice Committee will soon go over the proposal on the revival of death penalty.
HOUSE – The Justice Committee of the House of Representatives will soon deliberate the proposal regarding the revival of the death penalty in the Philippines.
It was during the time of former Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2006 that the capital punishment was abolished and the acts that are punishable with it were reduced to life imprisonment.
Since then, the idea of implementing death penalty once again in the Philippines has sparked several debates everywhere. Crime rates in the country and as well as Philippines’ being a Catholic nation are always one of the top reasons in both sides.
A recent news report in Inquirer stated that a bill has been approved and the proposed measure regarding the reimposition of the death penalty in the country will soon be deliberated by the Justice Committee of the House of Representatives.
Based in the news report, Deputy Speakers Fredenil Castro (Capiz, 2nd District) and Sharon Garin (AAMBIS-OWA party-list) were among the six people who cast their votes on the reimposition of the death penalty.
The other four were Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers , Iloilo 3rd District Rep. Arturo Defensor Jr. , Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. , and Pampanga, 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr.
Furthermore, it is also stated that five people voted for a substitute bill that would put boundaries on death penalty and would only make it applicable to drug-related crimes.
Deputy Speaker Representatives Eric Singson (Ilocos Sur, 2nd District), Luis Campos (Makati, 2nd District), Eugene De Vera (ABS Party-list), Roger Mercado, (Southern Leyte), and Victoria Noel (An Waray Party-list) were the five people who voted for a different version of the bill.
Meanwhile, two members, Agusan del Norte 1st District Rep. Lawrence Fortun and Siquijor Rep. Ramon Rocamora, abstained.