Sotto sees ‘better chance’ for revival of death penalty in the Senate
MANILA, Philippines — While Senate President Vicente Sotto III sees a “better chance” for the revival of death penalty for drug-related crimes in the Senate, one senator said it would still face “very rough sailing” in the upper chamber.
During his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa on Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte made another push for the reimposition of capital punishment in the county for crimes involving illegal drugs.
In the 17th Congress, the House of Representatives gave its nod to House Bill No. 4727 seeking to reimpose capital punishment for heinous and drug-related offenses, but it did not prosper in the Senate.
Several bills seeking the revival of the death penalty were filed in the Senate in the 18th Congress but all are still pending in the committee level.
“We can try again another shot at it. (Especially) now that the President focused only on crimes in (Republic Act) 9165. (B)etter chances,” Sotto told reporters in a message, referring to the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
On the other hand, Senator Panfilo Lacson said bills seeking to revive capital punishment in the country would not easily slip the scrutiny of senators.
“While personally, I support the passage of a death penalty law, my count in the senate tells me that it will face a very rough sailing in the Upper Chamber,” he said in a separate message to reporters.
