Aquino still rejects death penalty revival

MANILA (Updated) -- President Benigno Aquino III remained firm in opposing the revival of death penalty despite recent incidents of heinous crimes in the country.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said President Aquino’s position on death penalty has not changed.

“He (Aquino) is not for the death penalty,” Valte said in a Radyo ng Bayan interview Sunday.

She said while the Chief Executive could not commit on reviving death penalty, the government is focused on ensuring that criminals will be put behind bars.

“Well, the position of the President always, when it comes to any form of crime, is (that) the effective deterrent of crime would be the knowledge that there will be certainty of punishment,” the Palace official said.

The country was shocked by two consecutive heinous crimes as the 2013 began. These were the death of a seven-year-old girl due to a stray bullet during the New Year’s Eve revelry and the carnage in Kawit, Cavite that left eight people dead and nine others wounded.

In light of the incidents, there have been proposals to impose a total gun ban in the country.

But Valte said they have yet to discuss it with President Aquino.

“Kasi kahit sabihin pong total gun ban, meron po kasing gradations in the proposals when it comes to the total gun ban. So, essentially, we will have to look at all of these and then discuss it with the President,” she said.

Valte refused to comment whether the President would be willing to hold a dialogue with pro- and anti-gun ban advocates regarding the issue.

President Aquino is a gun enthusiast. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)