Duterte graces historic Convergence in Alabel, Sarangani (June 23, 2016) – The Provincial Government of Sarangani hosts the historic event “Convergence: The Inaugural Ceremony of a United Sarangani and General Santos” Wednesday, June 22. It was the oath-taking ceremony of the first-ever Sarangan to be elected Senator, Rep. Emmanuel Pacquiao, graced by the first-ever Mindanaoan to be elected President, Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte, along with re-elected Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon. Officials from General Santos City and Sarangani were also sworn into office. (Kim Tiblani/Provincial Governor’s Office)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – President-elect Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday stood by to his plan to push for the reimposition of the death penalty despite claims by Catholic church leaders and human rights advocates that executions are not a deterrent to crime.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of Senator-elect Manny Pacquiao and other local officials in Sarangani, Duterte said that he was pushing for the revival of dealth penalty not to discourage people from committing crimes but to ensure retribution.
“The death penalty might be a deterrence to prevent or matakot siya to commit a crime but that is one school of thought. The other school of thought is iyang death penalty hindi iyan pantakot,” Duterte said.
“Hindi iyan to deter. Whether you like to commit a crime or not, that’s not my business. You are equipped with your mental faculty. Iyong death penalty to me is the retribution. Magbayad ka sa ginawa mo sa buhay na ito. Kaya hindi kami magkaintidihan eh,” he added.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) have opposed the reimposition of the death penalty.
Gascon said that the global trend was towards abolition of the death penalty.
He added that it had been proven that the death penalty was not an effective deterrent to crime.
Gascon said the country’s criminal justice system’s intention was to rehabilitate convicts.
“Ang trend po ay para sa abolishing ng death penalty. Kada taon dumadami ang mga estado na nag-a-abolish nito,” Gascon said.
“Sa pamamagitan ng criminal justice sytem sinasabi natin sa mga nagkasala at mga nagkamali na kailangan silang parusahan pero sa pamamagitan na matututo sila,” he added.
“Sa death penalty, wala nang pangalawang pagkakataon pa ang mga salarin at mga convicted na magbagong buhay dahil kikitilin na ang buhay nila,” Gascon said.
Archbishop-emeritus Oscar Cruz has said on Balitanghali that the CBCP would also oppose Duterte’s proposal.
“Siyempre po naman tututulan po namin iyan, lalo na ng CBCP. Hindi maaaring maupo lamang ang Simbahan diyan. Tatayuan iyan,” Cruz said.
“Wala pong binigyan ng buhay ang estado na kahit sino kay ahindi po siya puwedeng kumuha ng buhay ng kahit sino. Iyan po ay malinaw,” he added. (MNS)