CBCP: Death penalty not a solution to crime

MANILA, Philippines — Catholic Church leaders maintained that capital punishment, in whatever form it comes, is never a deterrent to crime.

“Studies have proven this time and again,” said Bishop Jose Baylon, who heads the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ (CBCP) Commission on Prison Pastoral Care.

Instead of reviving capital punishment, Bishop Baylon said “restorative justice” is the more dignified choice.

“With the death penalty, justice is nothing but punishment, and never a way to reform the offender. But true justice is restorative, never punitive,” he said.“We are always against death penalty. It is not a solution to criminality and it is antipoor,” said Bishop Broderick Pabillo, apostolic administrator of Manila Archdiocese, in an interview.

“The solution is an efficient and disciplined police force and no-nonsense judiciary,” he said, adding that the plan now includes educating people and lobbying against it.

Meanwhile, the House leadership on Tuesday assured the public of a thorough debate on the death penalty bill a day after President Duterte, once again, asked Congress to resuscitate the effort to restore capital punishment for drug crimes.

House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said the 302-member chamber was “ready to stand up to the task” of passing the priority bills.

That includes the controversial bill to reimpose the death penalty on convicted drug offenders, the Leyte lawmaker said in a statement.

“The House also assures that the death penalty measures will be deliberated on thoroughly,” said Romualdez, the chair of the powerful rules committee.

Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chair of the House dangerous drugs panel, seconded Mr. Duterte’s call for the death penalty revival and urged his colleagues to make it a reality.