PNP admits restoring death penalty is ‘not timely’

PNP spokesperson Police Col. Bernard Banac. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Thursday that restoring death penalty in the country is not yet timely, even as allies of President Rodrigo Duterte are poised to win most of the Senate seats in the midterm elections.

The discussion on death penalty and other measures being pushed by the Duterte administration resurfaced in the headlines as the chief executive’s allies — the likes of former PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and Christopher “Bong” Go — dominate the partial, official vote count of the Commission on Elections.

READ: Vote to boost Duterte drive for federalism, death penalty

But for the current leadership of the PNP, safety measures need to be set in place first before starting to talk about passing a law on capital punishment.

“Patungkol sa death penalty, ang pamunuan ng PNP ay may pananaw na hindi pa [ito] napapanahon dahil kailangan munang mapag-aralan [ito] nang husto, kailangan munang ma-i-set in place ang mga measures para hindi ito maabuso,” PNP spokesperson Police Col. Bernard Banac said in a press briefing at Camp Crame.

(Regarding death penalty, the PNP leadership maintains that it is not yet timely because it should be studied carefully and the measures for it not to be abused must be set in place first.)

However, the police force, as a law enforcement agency, “is ready to support” the measure if it will be passed into law, according to Banac.

In an earlier interview, Dela Rosa said he favors the restoration of death penalty in the country for drug trafficking and heinous crimes.

READ: Bato to push for death penalty revival if he wins in 2019 polls

Days after the death of 16-year-old Christine Lee Silawan, whose face was brutally skinned in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Go also reportedly said he supports death penalty for grave offenses as a deterrent to criminals.

Earlier reports also claimed Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos and former Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Francis Tolentino are in favor of the measure.

Meanwhile, reelectionist Senator Aquilino Pimentel III said he wants the measure passed but only for big-time drug trafficking, which he considers the “most heinous” of all crimes. (Editor: Jonathan P. Vicente)

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