Stand up for life

The odds are evident and the revival of the death penalty is imminent.

Despite not getting the support of most of the lawmakers, pro-life advocates in Cebu refused to give up.

At dusk yesterday, at least 800 people walked from the Cebu City Hall grounds down to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, carrying lighted candles and turning to prayer in the hope of stopping the reinstatement of the death penalty and the spate of extrajudicial killings amid the government’s war on drugs.

Although the number of participants was not enough to show a force to reckon with, organizers said it was enough to jumpstart what they said would be series of events against anti-life policies of the government.

“We are here to stand up and to speak up. We expect several bashers. Many people do not understand the impact of the imposition of the death penalty. It is an uphill battle. But there is nothing impossible in prayer,” said Dr. Rene Josef Bullecer, the vice president of the Council of the Laity in the Visayas, and the lead convenor in yesterday’s event called “Walk for Life.”

“We are not afraid. Padayon ta. (Let us continue). If God is with us, we are in the majority,” he added.

Nationwide activities

In Manila, about 20,000 people gathered for a prayer activity at the Quirino Grandstand early morning on Saturday to stress opposition towards government measures which are “anti-life.”

Similar activities were also held in Dagupan, Pangasinan, and in other dioceses all over the country.

In Cebu City, rally participants composed of students, nurses, seminarians, nuns and members of church-based organizations carried banners with the statements “Pro-God, Pro-life, and Pro-Family” and “No to Death Penalty.”

Also present were Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Florencio, Rep. Raul del Mar of Cebu City’s north district, Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, Fr. Eligio Suico of the Archdiocesan Commission on Family and Life, and officers of the Council of the Laity.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma was not able to attend the gathering due to a prior commitment but planned to hold another pro-life event next month.

Church speaking out

The 66-year-old prelate recently said that Catholic Church leaders would not cease to speak out and oppose the administration’s bloody war on drugs as well as its plan to bring back the death penalty even if they would continue to be lambasted by the country’s top executive.

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, who was in Cebu City yesterday, also dropped by and gave a message during the activity that started at the Plaza Sugbo grounds in front of City Hall.

The veteran legislator echoed calls not to revive death penalty which he said is not the right solution to criminality.

“We see no reason to reimpose the death penalty. When it was implemented from 1998 to 2000, there were seven executions, and yet at that period, crime did not go down. In fact, it went up based on the records of the Philippine National Police,” he said.

He said the best way to address criminality and even extrajudicial killings is to improve the justice system in the country.

“Even extrajudicial killings manifest the dismay of people over our justice system that is not functioning effectively,” he said.

Standing by what is right

Congressman Del Mar, on his part, said he would stand by what is right despite the opposition of many people.

“Life is great. Life is sacred. It is a gift from God. How dare we agree to taking away the lives of fellow human beings?” he said.

Del Mar quoted a statement from Pope Francis who said, “Death penalty is unacceptable, however grave the crime of the convicted person. It is an offence to the inviolability of life and to the dignity of the human person; it likewise contradicts God’s plan for individuals and society, and his merciful justice.”

“If people do not believe in priests and bishops, I hope we would listen and heed the message of Pope Francis,” he said.

Death penalty, the congressman said, is cruel and against God’s law, will not solve criminality, punishes just the poor, condemn the innocent to die, and exacerbates the culture of violence.

Del Mar said life imprisonment as the highest penalty under Philippine laws is enough to punish people found guilty of heinous crimes.

“Just imagine staying at home for just a week. That is difficult. How much more staying behind bars for 10 years, 20 years, and for the rest of your life. That is too much of a punishment,” he said.

Only 50 congressmen

Of the about 150 votes needed in the House of Representatives to stop the revival of the death penalty, pro-life advocates said, so far, they only have the support of about 50 congressman.

“But we will do everything to see to it that death penalty won’t be revived. I hope citizens will also do their share by urging their congressmen to vote against the death penalty,” Del Mar said.

Vice Mayor Labella, for his part, said life should be protected from conception to natural death.

“We defend life for that is a gift from God. Death penalty is simply not proper,” he said.

Dr. Bullecer explained that yesterday’s event was primarily to celebrate the Pro-life Month.

But since the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines organized an event in Manila to oppose the death penalty and extrajudicial killings, he said they decided to hold a similar event with the same purpose in Cebu City.

“Some people are asking why the Catholic Church always intervenes in political matters. Long before human laws were created, divine law already existed. And the 10 Commandments are there to guide us,” Bullecer said.

He said they are hoping all 10 district representatives in Cebu will vote against the reimposition of death penalty.

“We hope and pray that they will be convinced to stand up for what is right. And I hope they won’t be coerced or threatened in case they vote against the death penalty,” Bullecer said.

Duterte criticisms

President Rodrigo Duterte has been relentless in his criticisms of Catholic Church leaders who have been vocal in condemning the extrajudicial killings that had attended the administration’s crackdown on the narcotics trade.

He first branded the Catholic Church as the “most hypocritical institution,” “full of shit,” and recently ramped up his attacks against some priests and bishops whom he accused of corruption, womanizing and other excesses.

During the presidential campaign last year, then Davao City Mayor Duterte cursed Pope Francis for the heavy traffic triggered by the papal visit in January 2015.

He earlier said he would not apologize for his statement, but later changed his mind and wrote a letter to the Holy Father asking for forgiveness for swearing at him in public.

Pastoral letter

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines recently released a pastoral letter, expressing concern over the number of deaths and killings in the campaign against prohibited drugs.

While the problem on illegal drugs needs to be addressed, the bishops’ collegial body said the solution does not lie in the killing of suspected drug users and pushers, saying the government is only God’s steward and does not own life.

Since Duterte assumed office and waged the drug war, over 7,000 drug suspects were killed either by policemen or by unidentified assailants throughout the country.

The pastoral statement was read in all Masses in the country last Sunday.

Between 1946 and 1965, which was then under President Ferdinand Marcos, 35 people convicted of savage crimes were executed.

After the EDSA People Power Revolution that toppled the dictator from power, then-president Corazon Aquino promulgated the 1987 Constitution and abolished the death penalty.

In March 1996, under then President Fidel V. Ramos, the law, through R.A. 8177, was amended prescribing death by lethal injection for offenders convicted of heinous crimes.

President Arroyo moved to abolish the death penalty in 2006, explaining that death penalty had not proven to be a deterrent to crime. /WITH USJ-R Intern Vanisa Soriano

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