Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go. (Photo from his office)
MANILA, Philippines — If we are not stealing from the government then we have nothing to fear.
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said this as he pressed fellow lawmakers for support on the revival of death penalty for plunder and heinous drug-related crimes.
Go issued the appeal after some senators supported the revival of death penalty but only for high-level drug offenses.
READ: Pacquiao: Majority of senators back death penalty but only for drugs
“Ako naman po nakikiusap. Iisa lang po ang boto ko at alam ko suportado din po ito ni Pangulong Duterte. At para sa akin nakikiusap po ako sa kanila, sa mga kasamahan po namin na senador, mga kongresista, wala naman po tayong dapat ikatakot kung wala naman po tayong ninanakaw sa gobyerno,” Go told reporters in a phone patch interview at the Senate on Thursday.
“Makakatulong…na mapabilis yung pagpasa kung sususportahan ito ng mga mambabatas. Wala naman silang dapat ikatakot,” he added.
During his fourth State of the Nation Address earlier this week, President Rodrigo Duterte renewed his appeal to Congress to approve the reimposition of capital punishment in the country for crimes related to illegal drugs.
READ: Duterte renews push for death penalty on drug-related crimes
The President also called on Congress to include plunder among crimes punishable by death.
Asked if he was open that the death penalty should first cover heinous crimes related to drugs before the Senate would consider including plunder, Go answered: “Bakit mo iiwan yo’ng plunder?”
“Eh related yan eh. Ibig kong sabihin, yo’ng droga addictive yon, yo’ng plunder addictive din yo’n, yo’ng addict sa pera. Pagsabayin na lang natin. Para isang pasahan na lang,” he stressed.
Aside from Go, Senators Manny Pacquiao, Ronald dela Rosa, and Panfilo Lacson filed separate bills to restore capital punishment when the 18th Congress opened earlier this month. /jpv