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Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Church, guv laud penalty decision
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
THE Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno welcomed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's decision to commute death sentences of over 1,000 convicts even as they still urge her to totally abolish the death penalty.
But Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano vehemently voiced his opposition to Arroyo's decision to bring down the penalties meted on the criminals facing death to life imprisonment.
He said this might only promote vigilantism and summary killings.
Arroyo defended Monday her decision to commute death sentences as religiously inspired as an anti-crime activist warned that outraged victims' families may attempt to take revenge against inmates whose lives will be spared.
Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro vicar general Monsignor Rey Monsanto said they welcome the decision of Arroyo.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has repeatedly sought the abolition of the death penalty.
Monsanto cited that even Judas Escariot, who betrayed Jesus Christ to His death, was forgiven by God.
"For even if you are the evilest person you should be given a chance to be sorry for your sins and failures," he said.
Monsanto then called on Arroyo to finally abolish the death penalty, saying that every criminal convicted should be given the chance to be rehabilitated.
He said the Episcopal Commission on Prisoners' Welfare (ECPW) in every diocese all over the country is looking into the situation of inmates.
He said the ECPW here headed by Monsignor Tex Legitimas is celebrating mass in the various cells.
"We still need to work on many things regarding prisoners' welfare," he said.
Moreno, who formerly served as congressman of the First District of Misamis Oriental, said he has always maintained his stand against death penalty.
"What is needed is the streamlining of our judicial system," he said.
Emano said Monday he is against Arroyo's decision to commute the death sentence penalty faced by those convicted criminals.
"I am against the commutation of these death penalty sentences. I don't think that our judges came down with such a decision arbitrarily," he said in a radio interview.
The mayor added it is also not fair since there is still an existing death penalty law.
However, the influential Roman Catholic Church and anti-death penalty crusaders applauded Arroyo's Easter announcement, although her spokesman Ignacio Bunye said, "the President is not seeking nor does she expect any political returns from her decision."
The decision "came after deep contemplation and reflection in the field of Christian values," Bunye said in a statement.
"We understand the deep hurt inflicted upon the families of the victims of heinous crimes, but the president believes that learning to forgive without compromising criminal justice would be a good start for the nation to move on," he added.
The move may save the lives of about 1,200 death convicts, including at least 11 al Qaida-linked militants, although prison chaplain Monsignor Roberto Olaguer said only about 100 whose sentences were affirmed by the Supreme Court will be affected immediately. The rest will have to wait until the court upholds their death sentences, he said.
"They're rejoicing. They're thankful to the president because they'll have a longer life," Olaguer said.
Arroyo's move, however, sent shockwaves through citizens' anti-crime groups, worried it will embolden criminals amid the resurgence in kidnappings. Most death row inmates have been convicted of kidnapping, rape, murder and drug trafficking.
Dante Jimenez, head of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, said he had received phone calls from two families of victims who told him they would "just find a way to have those who committed heinous crimes against their loved ones killed in prison." He didn't provide details.
"That's the implication. It will become a tooth for a tooth. It's saddening if victims will be victimized again because of this sweeping...commutations," he said.
No execution has taken place since 2000 in the predominantly Catholic Philippines, where capital punishment has been opposed by the conservative church but advocated by victims of heinous crimes and terrorist attacks.
Arroyo's decision does not abolish the death penalty, which would require approval by Congress. (With AP)
(April 18, 2006 issue)
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