MANILA, Philippines—The move to reimpose the death penalty gathered more steam in Congress after another lawmaker filed one more bill reviving capital punishment in the wake of increasing heinous crimes in the country.

The latest measure, House Bill 5714, was filed by Muntinlupa Representative Rozzano Rufino Biazon on Monday in response to the worsening drug crisis highlighted by the case of the “Alabang Boys.”

Senate Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri had filed a similar bill in the upper chamber.

Earlier, Manila Representative Bienvenido Abante filed HB 4882 reviving the death penalty in reaction to the string of bloody bank robberies a few months ago.

Biazon said the Constitution did not abolish the death penalty but it gave Congress the discretion to impose capital punishment for compelling reasons involving heinous crimes.

Biazon’s bill would impose the death penalty in cases covered by Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

“The non-imposition of the death penalty in cases covered by RA 9165 only emboldens those involved in this illicit industry that destroys the family, takes the lives of its victims and wreaks havoc on Philippine society,” Biazon said, noting that life imprisonment was hardly a deterrent to drug trafficking.

“There have been instances where the illegal drug trade was ongoing even if the convicted trafficker was behind bars,” he said. Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.