SENATE President Aquilino L. Pimentel III on Tuesday predicted a possible deadlock between 24 senators when the bill reviving death penalty for heinous crimes is put to a plenary vote.
Pimentel confirmed over the weekend seeing a split vote over the reimposition of the death penalty earlier endorsed for enactment into law by the Duterte administration.
“I can see that the vote is divided,” he said, noting that “at the rate things are going, it could be 10-14 vote, either way—for or against the revival [of the death penalty].”
Pimentel added, “it can even go 12-12”, a split down the middle of the 24-member chamber. “Puwede pa nga maging 12-12 iyan.” The Senate President acknowledged that death penalty had always been “a very divisive issue”.
“I was originally against it—but not based on religion, but as a matter of policy,” Pimentel said, but added: “Now, I’m open to it…to send a signal to criminals that these are the penalties that await you; that you could get even a death sentence.” He clarifies, however, that the bill pending in the Senate is death penalty for “heinous crime” without the lengthy list that is in the House version of the counterpart bill.
“In the House, they are expanding their list; in the Senate, we’re limiting it,” Pimentel said, “because many senators are against death penalty.”
This developed as senators shrugged off veiled threats they could lose committee chairmanships if they vote against the reimposition of the death penalty that is being pushed by the Duterte administration.
“If so, then so be it,” said Sen. Francis P. Pangilinan.
Senate Majority Leader Vicente C. Sotto III, in a separate interview, also ruled out the possibility that prolife senators could be stripped of committee chairmanship for opposing death-penalty revival.
Sotto believes a committee revamp is not likely to ensue even if the death-penalty bill comes to a showdown vote for or against the measure reviving capital punishment. He says a revamp can not be carried out “in an evenly divided house”.