Duterte team begins study on return of death penalty

As the Aquino administration’s transition team prepares agency reports for the next administration, incoming president Rodrigo Duterte’s transition team has started discussing the reimposition of the death penalty to make sure it will not violate international human rights laws.

Last week, the Presidential Transition Committee (PTC) led by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. focused on providing Duterte’s transition team all the necessary reports of all agencies, bureaus, government-owned and controlled corporations, and departments of the executive branch by the end of May.

“This will give the incoming administration ample time to review these reports before assumption into office. According to Executive Secretary Ochoa, the PTC is prepared to work with and meet with the transition team of the incoming president,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said yesterday.

Upon Ochoa’s instructions, the most senior career official will be designated as agency focal person for the whole duration of the transition process leading to the inauguration of Duterte on June 30.

Administrative Order 49 series of 2016 created the PTC to have a smooth transition of power.

“It shall oversee the preparation and implementation of the government agencies’ transition to the new administration in order to ensure the continuity and maintain the efficiency of government services,” the order said.

The PTC members are Ochoa, Coloma, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Emmanuel Esguerra, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Foreign Affairs Secretary Jose Rene Almendras and Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson.

A source told The STAR yesterday that Duterte’s transition team wants “that the re-imposition of death penalty will be confined to heinous crimes, particularly drug trafficking and other high crimes. They want to put safeguards that only the most guilty will be executed.”

The source also said all sectors would be consulted, including the Catholic Church, which opposes capital punishment. The same source earlier told

The STAR that Duterte is planning to set up an Alcatraz-type prison facility where hardened criminals and convicted drug lords will be confined pending re-imposition of the death penalty.

Addressing crimes through executions is among the changes that Duterte promised during the campaign.

The source also said the Duterte administration would seek alliances with the Senate and the House of Representative once the next Congress convenes.