Locsin opposes death penalty, says it won’t work

MANILA, Philippines – Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Wednesday reiterated his opposition to death penalty amid proposals for its revival.

Locsin was reacting to the Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa’s proposal to execute drug traffickers via firing squad, which fellow Sen. Panfilo Lacson said was too brutal.

“I’m against death penalty. Doesn’t work; just creates an illusion of severity criminals see through easily,” Locsin  said.

He added that capital punishment “scares nobody” and just “degrades the society by making everyone complicit in a capital error of miscarried justice.”

“EJK is a crime of the cop; judicial killing is our crime,” said Locsin.

Lacson and Dela Rosa, who both served as chief of the Philippine National Police, have filed separate bills in the Senate seeking to revive the death penalty.

Unlike Dela Rosa, however, Lacson said he prefers lethal injection in implementing capital punishment, but agreed that public execution as suggested by Dela Rosa will indeed instill fear among criminals. (Editor: Gilbert S. Gaviola)

READ: Lacson files measure reinstituting death penalty for heinous crimes

READ: Dela Rosa files bill reviving death penalty for drug traffickers, manufacturers

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