Congressman Atienza says the death penalty will not solve criminality during the Summit for Life at the Cebu City Social Hall. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
House Deputy Minority Leader Lito Atienza urged all the people, regardless of their religious affiliation, to fight against the bill that seeks to restore the death penalty in the country which is being pushed by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.
In a Summit for Life spearheaded by Sanggunian Laiko ng Pilipinas (SLP) vice president and pro-life advocate Dr. Rene Bullecer yesterday at the Social Hall of Cebu City Hall, Atienza asked the 200 participants to tell their congressmen about their opposition to the death penalty.
“Your congressmen are your representatives in Congress. So tell them that you are against the death penalty because our judicial system is biased against the poor,” Atienza said in his speech.
The forum was attended by around 200 pro-life advocates composed of senior citizens, nuns and youth sector representatives.
Other speakers were Atty. Makilito Mahinay, legal consultant of the Archdiocese of Cebu, and Atty. Jo Imbong, professor of University of Asia and the Pacific.
The participants said they are supporting President Rodrigo Duterte, but they need to express their gratitude for life.
Alvarez wants House Bill No. 1 that seeks to reimpose the death penalty in the Philippines passed into law next week.
Atienza said people should not allow the Philippines to be used as the “culture of death.” He added that death penalty is not a solution to crime.
“We have a leader who is very popular but doing the wrong things. He sees the problem but he goes in the wrong direction. Wala na siyang sinabi kundi patayin yan, patayin yun, at patayin kita. May mura pa. Is this the leader who will bring us to our desired way of life as Christians?” Atienza said.
Meanwhile, lawyer Mahinay said the president thinks that the country is on war.
He said the reason that triggered the president to revive the death penalty is because of his campaign against drugs.
“Are we in the state of war? Naa ba gyud war? (Is there any war?),” Mahinay said.
Both Mahinay and Imbong said the bill is unconstitutional and that the crimes covered by the death penalty do not adhere to international law.
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