「日刊まにら新聞」ウェブ

President Rodrigo Duterte is hoping to mitigate the upsurge of illegal drugs and corruption through reimposing the death penalty, according to Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Panelo said Duterte thinks these two are the biggest problems in the country.

“As a general rule, we don’t want death penalty as stated in the Constitution, unless Congress by a passage of a law allows it. That’s why the President feels these are our biggest problems,” he said.

“One, is corruption; number two, is the illegal drugs he wants that ? hoping that it will mitigate the upsurge of this drug menace as well as the plunderous activities of the plunderers,” he added.

Panelo said the president may want rope as a tool for the death penalty.

“If you will ask him, without cost… rope. But I think, maybe just like before, lethal injection,” he said.

Asked how the confident the executive department is 0on the passage of the bill, Panelo said it will still up to the Congress.

“Up to the Congress… They will be the one to decide. His is to suggest, he thinks that will be useful,” he said.

Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo scrapped the death penalty in 2006.

He said with the filing of Senator Bong Go of his version of the bill, it will “most likely” be certified as urgent.

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police ( PNP) General Oscar Albayalde said they fully support the reimposition of the death penalty.

“Even the previous years, we submitted our position and recommendation,” he said.

Albayalde added that the death penalty they are pushing will not be those who are involved in street pushing.

“It's not street pushing, (but) the big time (pushers). Depends on the appreciation of Congress on how many kilos will be found from a person to be covered by death penalty,” he said.

Once passed, Panelo assured the public they have an airtight case to prevent wrong arrests.

“We base our case on the possibility of a commission of a crime and then the court will decide if the person is guilty or not guilty beyond reasonable doubt. It is very important to us to gather evidence. When we say airtight case it should be airtight,” he said.

During his State of the Nation Address speech Monday, Duterte again urged the members of Congress to pass a bill reimposing death penalty.

“It has been three years since I took my oath of office, and it pains me to say that we have not learned our lesson. The illegal drug problem persists. Corruption continues and emasculates the courage we need to sustain our moral recovery initiatives,” he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS