Robredo: Death penalty not a cure for crime

Vice Presidential aspirant and Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo has rejected the revival of death penalty in the Philippines.

“Ngayon sa atin, para sa akin, dahil hindi naman na-poprove ng statistics na mayroon tayong death penalty, bumaba ang crime incidents.  Kaya sa atin, hindi po ako sang-ayon,” Robredo told reporters during his visit to Surigao del Norte on Monday.

(In our country, I think it has not been proven that if death penalty was imposed, crime incidents would decrease. So, in our case, I do not agree [with the imposition of death penalty].)

Robredo said there have been criminals who have been convicted but were later acquitted due to wrong evidence or innocence.

“Mayroong mga na-convict na mga kriminal na later on mali pala ang ebidensya na ipinrisenta at hindi naman pala sila nagkasala. Kung mayroong death penalty, dahilan kung baka nasistensyahan na iyon ng kamatayan only to find out later on na hindi naman pala, hindi naman pala sila nagkasala,” she said.

(There had been criminals convicted previously whose cases would later on reveal that the evidence presented point to their innocence. If there were death penalty, a person could be sentenced to death only to find out later that the person is innocent.)

The lawmaker cited a case in the United States where a man was imprisoned for 17 years but authorities later found out that he was innocent due to DNA testing.

“Mayroon ngayong isang kaso sa Amerika, na after 17 years, na find out through DNA testing na iyong isang nakakulong ng napakatagal na, hindi naman pala siya ang tunay na salarin,” she said.

(There was a case in the United States where, after 17 years, it was found out through DNA testing that a person who had been imprisoned for a long time was apparently not the true perpetrator of the crime.)

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‘Creative solutions’

Asked by reporters on his stand about drug abuse, Robredo said the government should have “creative solutions” to address the drug problems in the Philippines.

“Patuloy pa rin po ang paglaganap ng drugs kaya dapat mas maging creative na tayo maghanap ng solusyon,” she said.

(The problem on drugs continues to spread so we have to be more creative in finding solutions.)

She cited that Naga has been successful in its drug campaign because of its Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Badac).

“Doon po sa amin sa Naga, naging very successful ang campaign kasi binaba na sa barangay yung paglaban sa drugs,” she said.

(In Naga, the campaign was very successful because the fight against drugs is taken to the barangay level.)

She said the fight against drugs should be a concern even of the smallest unit of society.

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“Palagay ko po ang problema sa drugs, dapat iyong pagsugpo doon, hindi lamang pulis, hindi lamang probinsya, hindi lamang munisipyo o lungsod pero ang pinakamababa sa lipunan,” she said.

(I think with the problem on drugs, solving it should not only be the concern of the police,or only the province, or the municipality, or the city, but it should be the concern of the smallest unit of society.)

She said the barangay, families and even schools should be active in combatting against drug abuse.

“Kahit po napakaraming pulis, marami na po kasing incident na nagpapakita na kahit dinagdagan ng dinagdagan ang pulis, patuloy pa rin,” she said.

(Even with the greater presence of the police, incidents still show that [the problem] persists even if the police force is intensified.) CDG