Reviving death penalty now in Senate’s hands — Palace

Roque / Inquirer photo

Reviving the death penalty in the Philippines is now in the Senate’s hands.

This was the remark of Presidential spokesman Harry Roque after the Vatican declared that death penalty is “inadmissible.”

The Vatican, in its new entry in the catechism, branded the death penalty as “an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person.”

Roque said it was now up to the Senate if it would push forward with the legislation bringing back death penalty since it was already passed by the House of Representatives.

“I think the matter of the death penalty is in the hands of the senators now. So we leave it to the Senate whatever decision they may have,” Roque said in a press briefing in Bukidnon.

Roque, however, assured that reimposing the death penalty was still among the priorities of the Duterte administration.

“The President would still try gentle persuasion but it’s really a decision of the senators now,” the spokesman said.

“Prayoridad pa rin po ‘yan ng administrasyon na ibalik ang parusang kamatayan para sa mga seryosong drug-related na mga offenses. Pero ang desisyon po, dahil naipasa na ito ng Kamara, ay nasa Senado na po,” Roque also said.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said there was no death penalty vote in the Senate.

“It will die if put to a vote today. Malacañang knows this,” Drilon said in a statement.

He said Malacañang leaves death penalty’s fate to senators because it doesn’t want to waste political capital on the death penalty bill.

Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, a staunch ally of the president, said, “we won’t reimpose it.”

Senator Sonny Angara said the measure doesn’t seem to be moving in the upper house.

“When I last checked the Senate seemed somewhat divided on the issue,” he said in a text message to reporters.

Liberal Party President and Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said senators who are members of their party oppose the restoration of the death penalty.

“We do not see it as a deterrent to crime,” he said.

However, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said he will study the issue.

“Let me think it over. I’ll try to find some kind of a compromise,” he said.

He previously said the reimposition of death penalty may have the numbers in the Senate if it only covers high-level drug trafficking.

“For me, we have a fair chance of getting 13 votes if we would only talk about high-level drug trafficking,” he said upon assuming the Senate leadership.