NATION | Robredo: Panel's approval of death pealty bill seemed rushed

Vice President Leni Robredo said Congress shouldn't rush deliberations on reimposing the death penalty. The STAR/Michael Varcas | By Kristian Javier via Philstar

           

MANILA, Philippines — The House Justice committee seems to have rushed the approval of the death penalty bill, Vice President Leni Robredo, a former member of Congress, said Thursday.

"Sa pagpasa ng batas, ang kapakanan ng nakakarami ang masiyasat na isinasaalang-alang at hindi lamang sa pag-oo sa utos ng iisa," Robredo said in a statement.

The vice president, who has voiced her opposition to the death penalty in the past, the committee seems to have approved the bill without evidence or studies showing the death penalty is effective as a deterrent to crime.

"Sinubukan na natin ito noon at nakita na nating hindi ito gumana. Bakit pa natin bubuhayin ang
 death penalty?" Robredo said.

She said that questions raised by lawmakers opposed to the death penalty bill were not answered.

Robredo also reminded the House panel that the Philippines is a signatory to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, a side agreement that seeks to abolish the death penalty.

Robredo said that she hopes that the seeming rush seen in the committee hearings will not spill over to plenary debates.

"Naniniwala kami na mananaig pa rin ang diwa ng demokratikong lehislatura," Robredo said.

Commission on Human Rights chairperson Chito Gascon, in a separate statement, also questioned the perceived rush of the Justice committee to pass the reimposition of the death penalty.

"We are saddened that the House committee passed this measure despite requests to have a full deliberation," Gascon said.

In the past, President Rodrigo Duterte has pressed Congress to pass a bill to reimpose the the death penalty "to instill fear of violating the law," adding that the previous leaders could have prevented the alarming levels of the drug menace had they implemented it then.

The decision came last Wednesday when 12 members of the Justice Committee voted in favor, six voted against, and one abstained from voting.

Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, Deputy Speakers Fredenil Castro, Gwendolyn Garcia and Sharon Garin, Iloilo Rep. Arthur Defensor Jr., Pampanga Rep. Juan Pablo Bondoc, An Waray Rep. Victoria Noel, Leyte Rep. Henry Ong, Compostela Valley Rep. Ruwel Gonzaga, 1-Care Rep. Carlos Uybarreta, Leyte Rep. Vicente Veloso and Zamboanga del Sur Rep. Divina Yu voted in favor of the bill.

Meanwhile, Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, Quezon City Rep. Jose Christopher Belmonte, Negros Occidental Rep. Juliet Ferrer, Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun, Siquijor Rep. Ramon Rocamora and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate voted against, while COOP-NATCO party-list Rep. Anthony Bravo abstained from voting.