EIGHT of the 12 lawmakers from Negros Island Region (NIR) favored the bid to restore capital punishment in the country.
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the reimposition of death penalty.
A total of 217 congressmen supported the passing of House Bill 4727, which seeks to revive capital punishment for drug-related crimes, while 54 opposed. One abstained.
Negrense legislators who voted “Yes” were Representatives Greg Gasataya (Bacolod City), Melecio Yap Jr. (First District, Negros Occidental), Leo Rafael Cueva (Second District, Negros Occidental), Alfredo Benitez (Third District, Negros Occidental), Alejandro Mirasol (Fifth District, Negros Occidental), Mercedes Alvarez (Sixth District, Negros Occidental), Manuel Sagarbarria (Second District, Negros Oriental) and Arnulfo Teves Jr. (Third District, Negros Oriental).
Four voted against the measure – Representatives Juliet Ferrer (Fourth District, Negros Occidental), Jocelyn Limkaichong (First District, Negros Oriental), Stephen Paduano (Abang-Lingkod party-list) and Gary Alejano (Magdalo party-list).
Gasataya said there’s a “compelling reason” why he supported the death penalty bill.
“This is because of the proliferation of illegal drugs, with more than a million drug surrenderers and three million drug dependents,” he said.
Gasatay added that there is no mandatory death sentence, as it would be up to the discretion of the judge to rule life imprisonment or death penalty.
Sagarbarria, for his part, said he earlier opposed death penalty as it is only for “retribution,” but he changed his mind after the amendments on the measure – which would not include plunder, murder and rape as crimes punishable by death penalty – that tailored down to drug-related crimes.
He also noted that those convicted for possession of illegal drugs will not face death sentence.
Sagarbarria added that the bill is in support to the administration’s anti-drug campaign.
Paduano said everybody deserves a second chance.
“After all my experiences, I was given a second chance. My renewal to my religious belief is the basis of my vote,” he said.
Paduano stressed that “no amount of pressure and influence will sway my position against the death penalty bill.”
Death penalty was abolished in 2006 during the term of former president and now Pampanga congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who also voted against the bill.
‘Valiant ones’
Fr. Felix Pasquin, rector of San Sebastian Cathedral, slammed the passage of the death penalty bill at the House of Representatives, but lauded those who stood against it.
“We are proud of the valiant ones who voted ‘No.’ They will go down in history as the brave ones who followed their conscience rather than succumb to narrow partisanship, fear or pressure. We just hope that among those who favored the bill, it was their deep conviction that moved them,” Pasquin said.
The measure allows the judges to punish suspects of drug-related offenses with either life imprisonment or death. The execution will be done either through hanging, firing squad, or lethal injection.
After its approval on third and final reading at the House, the measure will be transmitted to the Senate.