THE re-imposition of death penalty as capital punishment in the country remains a priority legislation of President Rodrigo Duterte's administration, Malacañang said on Friday, August 3.
"Prayoridad pa din po 'yan ng administrasyon na ibalik ang parusang kamatayan para sa mga seryosong drug-related na mga offenses (The reinstatement of death penalty for serious drug-related offenses is still a priority of the administration)," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said in a press conference in Bukidnon.
Roque made the remark even after Pope Francis has declared death penalty as "inadmissible" in Catholic teachings.
The Vatican announced Thursday, August 2, that the pontiff has ruled that death penalty is inadmissible "because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person."
Following Pope Francis's stance against death penalty, the Catholic Church will now "work with determination towards its (death penalty) abolition worldwide."
Roque said the executive branch would leave the fate of possible revival of death penalty to the Senate.
But he added the President would try "gentle persuasion" to eventually convince the Senate to pass the measure that would restore the capital punishment.
"I think the matter of the death penalty is in the hands of the senators now. So we leave it to the Senate whatever decision they may have," the Palace official said.
"The President would still try gentle persuasion, but it's really a decision of the senators now," he added.
On March 7, 2017, the House of Representatives passed on third and final reading House Bill 4727 that seeks to reinstate death penalty on drug-related crimes.
Under the House measure, the mode of capital punishment could be through hanging, by firing squad or lethal injection.
The Senate, on the other hand, has yet to approve its version of the death penalty measure.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said in May that the re-imposition of death penalty could only be passed in the Senate, if it would apply only to high-level drug traffickers. (SunStar Philippines)