ON DEATH PENALTY

PE
of
House vows
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healthy debates
Or'6 8t llanrn.ol Bordoy
NO
*(g Speaker Ala\Peter Cayetano yesterday assured that the House
Ec of Representatiyes will healthily debate on the death penalty
o bill, saying its context should focus on the deterrence of crime
and not to end lives.
In an ambush inteniew after his visit in Zamboanga City,
Cayetano did not express any categorical stance
on the reinstitution of the death penalty but
explained that whether one suppofts or
>. oljective
opposes the bill, the main
of capital punishment should
6 be the eradication of
o I,

'il
heinous cdmes.
F
nI cen promise
5 our countrymen that
o

F
whether you are pro or
E against, there will be
a very healthy debate
here in the llouse
of Representatives.
This will focus on
one thing only, and
it is to preYent
crimes, especially
heinous crimes,
in our country,'
Cayetano said.
Ee explained
that President :

Rodrigo Duterte CAYETANO

wanted to revive
the capital punishment as there is continued proliferation of tt nAq-.t -Btlt'
illegal drugs in the country.

Let us discusg desth penelty in the context of prevention

a,nd deterrence of crime a.nd not as end by itself,

'To those who wanted war against death penalty, continue to

pray but also woik hard for peace and order because the President
believes in death penalty as drugs (continue to) persist and also
crimes, although it was largely reduced,' Cayetano said.
'So, while we are deciding as a nation whether we reinstitute
death penalty (or not), let's all help each other to lessen crime,'
he added.
Cayetano also suggested simpler ways to help the government
reduce crimes in the country such as installing lights along the
roads as well as setting up closed circuit television cameras
nationwide.
"Let us discuss the death penalty in the coniexr of prevention
and deterrence of crime and not as end by itself,'the lawmaker
reiterated.
Aside from Cayetano, Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco has
previously expressed suppoft on the revival of capital punishm€nt.
Shortly after the State of the Nation Address, Cayetano said
that the House will push for certain bills that the President has
asked for and one of which was the death penalty bill.
IIe urged the Legislative Executiye Development Advisory
Council to convene immediately to ensure timely passdge of the
President's legislative agenda.
During the 17th Congress, the House has passed a bill which
seeks to revive the capital punishment, but the Senate has not
apprcYed a counterpart measure..
Several senators in the current 18th Congress have filed separite
bills c'alling for the reimposition of the death penalty.