House panel pushes ‘death’ as fear factor vs drug traders

MANILA — The restoration of the death penalty for drug offenses topped the menu of legislation the House of Representatives’ justice committee is proposing following its inquiry into the narcotics trade within the National Bilibid Prisons.

The committee recommended a number of legislative and administrative measures in its 24page report on the inquiry, which was officially released Wednesday.

In an earlier interview, Oriental Mindoro Representative Reynaldo said the death penalty for drugs needs to be restored to increase the “fear factor” among offenders.

The inquiry, which was mounted after President Rodrigo Duterte publicly accused Senator Leila de Lima of benefiting from the drug trade at the NBP, saw witnesses, including 12 “high-profile” inmates and former law enforcement and jail officials, testify during lengthy hearings over four days against the former Justice secretary.

De Lima refused to participate in the House inquiry, which she said was intended to destroy her.

The proposed legislative measures includes re-imposition of the death penalty on drug cases pending the reform of the criminal justice system; granting of exceptions to the Anti-Wiretapping Law, Bank Secrecy Law, and AntiMoney Laundering Act with respect to inmates and drug-related cases.

It was also proposed to rationalize Jail Management System by placing the BuCor (Bureau of Corrections) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology under a single Department/ Agency; and the increase of the funding of the BuCor for the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment, CCTV cameras and other equipment to help tighten the security and surveillance of the NBP and other penitentiaries.

The proposed structural and organization changes in the BuCor includes term limits of the Director and the Deputy Director with a tour of duty not exceeding three years from the date of assignment.

Also, it was proposed to regionalize and decentralize national penitentiary to dissolve organized gangs and drug/criminal syndicates.