Civil society groups hold protest against death penalty, EJK

Fr. Robert Reyes, the running priest, led the multisectoral march called “Lakbay Buhay” on Monday morning. (CDN PHOTO/MICHELLE JOY L. PADAYHAG)

More than 100 members of different civil society organizations (CSO) in Cebu staged a protest in front of Cebu Provincial Capitol Monday morning against death penalty and extrajudicial killings.

Fr. Robert Reyes, the running priest, led the multisectoral march called “Lakbay Buhay”.

“The senate will soon begin its debates on death penalty. They are crucial in finally approving the bill which has been approved by the lower house,” Fr. Reyes told the reporters.

According to Fr. Reyes, the government needs to see and address what the county’s real problem is, which he said is poverty and not drugs.

He said this is where the government should focus on.

“I disagree with this government on drugs being number one problem (in the country). Poverty is the number one problem,” Fr. Reyes when interviewed by members of the media.

Last March, the House of Representatives passed
House Bill 4727 with 216 saying “Yes”, 54 said “No” and 1 abstain. The Bill seeks to revive the capital punishment for heinous drug-related offenses.

Cebu City South District Representative Rodrigo Abellanosa was the lone representative out of the 271 congressmen who abstained from voting, while Cebu City North District Representative Raul del Mar, who has always been against the death penalty, maintained his stand against the bill.

Other Cebu Representatives voted “Yes” including Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas (1st district), Wilfredo Caminero (2nd district), Gwendolyn Garcia (3rd district), Benhur Salimbangon (4th district), Ramon Durano VI (5th district), Jonas Cortes (6th district), Peter John Calderon (7th district) and Aileen Radaza of Lapu-Lapu City.