‘Reviving death penalty in PH a setback for Asean’

THE revival of capital punishment will be an embarrassment for the Philippines and a setback for the rest of Southeast Asia, a number of lawmakers from the region said on Wednesday.

Lawmakers Kasthuri Patto of Malaysia, Mu Sochua of Cambodia, and Filipino opposition lawmakers Edcel Lagman and Tom Villarin issued the warning in a forum organized by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Parliamentarians for Human Rights in Quezon City.

“It would be a shame if the Asean nations [like the Philippines] will stand to say we have kept the death penalty. for its people by upholding freedom, justice, equality, democracy and right

when it listens to the masses of misinformed public and supports the member of the parliament of Malay - stituency, said in the forum titled: “A Dialogue on the Death Penalty and

If the Philippines restores the death penalty, the effort to abolish capital punishment in the region will suffer a huge blow, said Assembly of Cambodia representing Battambang for the opposition

“We need a very strong member state [in Asean] to play that role who champions and protects fundamental human rights and the freedom of our people. If one - ers. That’s why we are certain that we will defend our position against

Cambodia experienced statesanctioned genocide during the three million dead. Among Asean nations, only Cambodia and the Philippines have abolished the death penalty.

“We have always been inspired by the Philippines. The People Power movement, the fight for democracy, human rights, and we want to continue to put you on a very high position. If we are alone -

The women parliamentarians then echoed Lagman’s earlier call to his colleagues to heed their consciences in casting their vote on the death penalty measure.

“Life is sacred. Our conscience of the people. Through the years, we in Cambodia have witnessed a lot of atrocities, Cambodians sponsored genocide is part of it. As members of the parliament, we cannot vote for anything according to what is dictated by our parties. We are elected by our people to promote human rights and respect human life. We are elected by our people, not appointed by our par

“We should mobilize the region penalty. Death penalty is not a solution to injustice. If we invest in reforming the judiciary and going after corruption from the top level, justice to our people in the long

Patto said Asean’s non- interference policy, which the Duterte administration has repeatedly citing those facing the death penalty for various offenses in countries

“When an Indonesian was sen case, the Indonesian government pleaded for mercy; to free the Indonesian from the gallows. There because it is so funny that Indonesia is begging for mercy when Indonesia is executing people is also what is happening in Malaysia since we have Malaysians Patto said.

“Filipinos are also in death row in Indonesia. I want to be of help to the Malaysians facing death Malaysia has the death penalty. Authorities there would just tell me, why then is it so easy for you [to execute people in Malaysia and death must come to end at some

have death penalty laws, including Malaysia. Three of the six scaling down executions in the past two years.

A briefer provided by the Asean Parliamentarians for Human pledged to commute death sentences and review the imposition of the death penalty on drugrelated offenses. It has chosen not following a periodic review at the

Malaysia’s Attorney General Mohamed Apandi Ali said in No to the cabinet that death penalty be abolished.

Vietnam approved amendments to its criminal code that reduced the number of crimes punishable

Laos, Myanmar and Brunei have not abolished capital punishment but have not executed any prisoner

The death penalty was abolished in the Philippines with the adop

Death Penalty Law, which revived capital punishment.

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo abolished capital the Imposition of the Death Penalty in the Philippines.