Dela Rosa pushes death penalty bill, appeals for understanding from Church

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Thursday appealed for understanding from the Catholic  Church as he pushed for the passage of the death penalty bill.

Dela Rosa, who filed the measure on Thursday, explained that he is only proposing the capital punishment for drug traffickers, which he hopes won’t meet stiff opposition when the 18th Congress opens on July 22 .

“Doon naman sa Church na mga pro-life na ayaw  talaga ng death penalty, I remember  lahat naman tayo sumusunod sa Bibliya.  Nasa Bibliya  naman yang death penalty na yan (To the Church and those who are against the death penalty, we all believe in the Bible.  The death penalty is mentioned in the Bible),”  Dela Rosa said at the Kapihan sa Senado.

There are verses, he said, in the Old and New Testaments about the death penalty.

“May mga verses dun about death penalty…” he pointed out, but did not elaborate.

“Sana maintindihan ng Church yung aking version. Drug trafficking lang naman yung  aking version, hindi naman covering all the heinous crime like  rape, murder, plunder (I hope the Church gets a better understanding of my bill.  It only covers drug trafficking and not all heinous crimes like rape, murder and plunder),” Dela Rosa added.

Dela Rosa served as Philippine National Police and Bureau of Corrections chief before being elected senator in the May midterm elections. (Editor: Gilbert S. Gaviola)