By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz & Butch Fernandez
THE push to revive the death penalty has birthed victims, with the bill itself one of them.
For one, some anti-death penalty senators saw their key posts removed from their helms. For another, the bill was further watered down, limiting capital punishment to drug-related heinous crimes.
The latter is seen as a move to further drum up support for the bill at the Lower House.
PDP-Laban Rep. Reynaldo V. Umali of Oriental Mindoro, chairman of the House Committee on Justice, said it will be easier for the lower chamber to pass the controversial bill if it will remove “treason, plunder and rape” in the measure.
“We agreed that bill will be limited to drug-related heinous crimes,” Umali told reporters, after the supermajority caucus at the House of Representatives.
But even before the caucus, lawmakers have already agreed to narrow down to 10 from 21 the number of heinous crimes punishable by death. “The whole point is we had a ‘headway’ on death penalty,” Umali added.
Drug trade
DRUG-related cases include importation of dangerous drugs and or controlled precursors and essential chemicals; sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution and transportation of dangerous drugs and or controlled precursors and essential chemicals, and maintenance of a drug den.
Also punishable by death are manufacture of dangerous drugs and or controlled precursor and essential chemicals, cultivation or culture of plants classified as dangerous drugs, unlawful prescription of dangerous drugs, criminal liability of public officer for misappropriation, misapplication or failure to account for the confiscated seized or surrendered drugs, and criminal liability for planting evidence. Possession of illegal drugs, meanwhile, will be punishable by reclusion perpetua.
“It is more of getting the consensus. It will be easier if we limit it to [drug-related] crime[s],” Umali said. “It’s a matter of providing compelling reason of those who really oppose death penalty.”
According to Umali, the debate on the bill “became lighter when we agreed to drug-related crimes”.
“Because they [lawmakers] have hesitations,” Umali said. “They will probably vote but with a heavy heart.” Umali said the lower chamber has decided to move the approval of the bill on Wednesday instead of Tuesday. He said the decision would give way to the committee to insert all the changes.
Opposition remains
THE watering down of the bill, however, has not sated the opposition.
Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza said “as long as death penalty is there, I will continue to oppose it.
“It will not eradicate the drug problem nor fight criminality,” Atienza added.
Party-list Rep. Tomasito S. Villarin of Akbayan said global trends in the fight against drugs show that death penalty has not deterred drug trafficking, manufacturing and use of illicit drugs in countries that execute those convicted of drug-related crimes.
“It is mostly the poor who will be arrested and convicted, not the syndicate bosses. As benefits in the drug trade far outweighs the risk, even death, the trade will continue,” Villarin said. “A comprehensive solution, including treating it as a health problem, should be pursued.” Liberal Party (LP) Rep. Teddy B. Baguilat of Ifugao said this decision only shows how arbitrary the leadership is in defining what’s compelling to justify death penalty.
“They started with 21 crimes, then limited coverage while excluding plunder. Then they brought it back along with four more crimes and now it’s just offenses,” Baguilat said. “It also betrays how tenuous their alliance is in supporting DP [death penalty]. Because they are adjusting the provisions based on the whims of their coalition members.”
Senate “mini-revamp”
AT the Senate, leadership controlled by Malacañang’s allies moved to strip four senators, known Liberal Party mates of former President Benigno S. Aquino III, of leadership posts and key committee chairmanships in a mini-revamp carried out with no objections at the start of Monday’s session.
On a motion by neophyte Sen. Manuel D. Pacquiao, the senators, without objections, agreed to declare vacant the position of Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin M. Drilon, as well as the chairmanships of the Committees on Agriculture, Education and Health, held by LP Senators Francis N. Pangilinan, Bam Aquino and Riza B. Hontiveros.
Senate Minority Leader Ralph G. Recto was named to replace Drilon as new Senate President Pro Tempore, while Sen. Cynthia A. Villar was named to replace Pangilinan as agriculture committee chairman, Sen. Francis G. Escudero as chairman of the Committee on Education replacing Aquino, and Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito as health committee chairman, in place of Hontiveros.
The senators also voted to install Sen. Antonio V. Trillanes III as acting Minority Leader, while awaiting word from the dislodged LP senators. The senators
who lost their posts are known to have voiced opposition against capital punishment.