MANILA, Philippines — Reelectionist Senator JV Ejercito on Wednesday lamented the election of public officials with corruption records as he reiterates his support for the death penalty for convicted plunderers.
In an interview with reporters during Hugpong ng Pagbabago’s (HNP) campaign rally in Parañaque City, Ejercito said the government should invoke its authority to get rid of corrupt officials by adding plunder among the heinous crimes punishable by death.
“Dapat ipakita ng ating gobyerno na they should work double hard, mga prosecutors na there should be behind bars, those behind itong mga drugs pati sa corruption para naman may katakutan kasi parang ‘di natatakot, alam nilang may makakalusot e,” Ejercito said.
(The government should work doubly hard to put people involved in drugs and corruption behind bars. They don’t fear the law now because they know they can get away with it.)
“Yung mga dating mga nagsisilbi sa iba’t-ibang ahensya ng gobyerno kahit known na corrupt tatakbo nalang ng ibang posisyon, (at) pinoproteksyunan na ang sarili, ganun ang nangyayari e. That has to change. Kung gusto natin ng pagbabago, kailangan talagang may masampolan,” he added.
(Corrupt officials in different government agencies often run for elective positions. That has to change. If we want reforms, we need to show an example.)
The administration-backed senatorial bet first aired his support to the death penalty for plunderers during a recent televised senatorial debate.
Ejercito is running under HNP, the regional party of Davao City mayor and presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio.
Also included in HNP’s 13-man senatorial slate is Ejercito’s half-brother, Jinggoy Estrada, who is currently facing plunder charges.
Estrada has been out on bail since 2017. He was accused of pocketing millions of kickbacks from bogus projects under the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam.
Meanwhile, their father, former President and now Manila mayor Joseph Estrada, was also convicted of plunder in 2007. /ee