Vice President Jejomar Binay walks among his supporters at the Makati City hall on Monday. People gathered at the city hall grounds to show their support for the older Binay and his son, Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, who was earlier served another suspension by the Ombudsman. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Vice President Jejomar Binay isn’t keen on reviving the death penalty to resolve the crime problem in the country.
In a radio interview, Binay said bringing back the capital punishment is not the way to ensure crimes will no longer be committed.
“Hindi kalutasan ‘yun eh. ‘Wag nating ilagay ang ating kaisipan na kapag may death sentence ay mawawala na ang mga krimen o mababawasan. Sa buong mundo hindi ‘yan (pagbaba ng krimen) naipakita ng data. Marami pang ibang paraan para malutas [ang krimen] na hindi tayo napupunta sa death sentence,” he said.
Binay, a human rights lawyer, said he used to be in favor of restoring the death penalty due to the anger he felt over cases of murder and rape. However, he said he eventually came to believe in the Catholic Church’s position that life is sacred.
In 2011, the vice president said he favored the revival of the death penalty in the following the discovery of the charred remains of Emerson Lozano, son of lawyer Oliver Lozano, and two other victims in Central Luzon.
A car theft syndicate operation was believed to be responsible for the killing of Lozano and the two other victims.
Binay said the current state of the judicial system leaves much to be desired that there is a possibility that even those who are innocent would be executed if the death penalty is restored.
“May kasabihan ngang mas maigi nang mapalaya ang 99 na may kasalanan kaysa maparusahan ang isang walang sala,” he said.(MNS)