Gabriela wary over push of death penalty after brutal slay of teen in Cebu

MANILA, Philippines — The Gabriela Women’s Party on Tuesday said it was “wary” that the brutal murder of a Grade 9 student from Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu was being used to push for the reimposition of the death penalty.

READ: Body of 16-year-old church collector whose face was skinned found in Lapu-Lapu City

While the party-list said it condoles with the family of Christine Silawan, a 17-year-old Church volunteer, it argued that “quickly resorting to the harshest penalty as solution glosses over the inadequacies of the justice system.”

READ: Hunt on for 3 men behind skinning, slay of Cebu student

“We strongly condemn this monstrous act as we join calls for a thorough investigation so that justice may be attained. We are however wary that this death is now being used to push for the reimposition of the death penalty,” the group added in a statement.

READ: DepEd condemns ‘barbaric murder’ of Grade 9 Cebu student

Gabriela then vowed to step up their #LabananAngAbuso campaign in the coming days and urged women to register the “widest indignation over rising cases of sexual abuse, violence against women including the pervading misogyny.”

READ: CHR ‘strongly condemns’ brutal murder of teenage girl in Lapu-Lapu City

Authorities have been looking for the three men last seen with Silawan who was believed to have been raped before her face was skinned and her body dumped at a vacant lot in Barangay Bangkal, Lapu-Lapu City on Monday.

Some netizens have since been using the incident as an argument to reimpose capital punishment, as they expressed rage over the student’s brutal murder.

READ: Netizens want death penalty for ‘monsters’ who killed Grade 9 student from Lapu

The death penalty was suspended through Republic Act No. 9346, which was signed by then-President House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on June 24, 2006. /jpv

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