Baguilat rejects all versions of death penalty
“Our position is to Representative Teddy oppose the death penalty Brawner Baguilat for all crimes,” stands firm on his said Baguilat, echoing stand versus the fears expressed by reimposition of the Manila Archbishop death penalty, amid Luis Antonio Tagle attempts by the that the death penalty majority party led by might legitimize the House Speaker use of violence to deal Pantaleon Alvarez to with every wrongdoing. push for the passage of a watered down Like the Church, version of the death Baguilat believes that penalty bill. the more urgent priority is to reform the justice institutions so that they will safeguard justice while preventing the spread of a culture of violence.
The majority coalition in the House of Representatives, however, is hell bent on bringing back the death penalty, on grounds that it is supposedly needed to battle the spread of illegal drugs and the rise in criminality.
Baguilat had always said the plan to railroad the passage of the death penalty was a grave cause for concern considering that it had already been established that having a death penalty would not deter the proliferation of crime.
The House majority is attempting to make the death penalty bill more acceptable to most representatives, who have earlier said they would oppose the passage of the bill, by removing some items such as plunder.
Baguilat said this was even more disconcerting because it reeks of self-interest.
“Perhaps the administration is feeling the heat that is why they are willing to now water down the bill. But removing plunder is telling because it is a crime usually committed by politicians. Self-interest is again rearing its ugly head,” said Baguilat.
“If we remove that, then might as well remove them all because all humans have an inherent right to life. Real justice is served when criminals are arrested through due process, convicted swiftly under the rule of law and jailed under appropriate sentences,” he added.
Capital punishment was last suspended in 2006 by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. At that time, Congress was overwhelmingly supportive of the tenet that life has value. President Duterte, however, has consistently said that he wanted it back as part of the package of measures to supposedly stop the proliferation of drugs and criminality.