THE Pax Christi Institute-Bacolod is opposing the re-imposition of death penalty.
“As a community of faithful committed to the peace of Christ, we are against death penalty because it is an irreversible process,” the group said in a statement.
They added that “in the present state of our justice system in the country, there is no guarantee that there will be no wrongful convictions or miscarriage of justice.”
Researches have shown that there is no clear evidence that the death penalty has a deterrent effect, the group said, adding that the popular support for death penalty depends heavily on the emotional belief in its deterring power.
All over the world, death penalty has disproportionately targeted marginalized groups, and death penalty is violence against life, Pax Christi further stated.
They also enjoined the nation to pray for divine intervention as Congress deliberates on the passage of the bill re-imposing the death penalty.
Pressure upon congressmen were already exposed that those who will go against the bill will lose their respective house committee chairmanships, the group added.