Sotto rejects PNP chief’s suggestion; says 50 grams of drugs ‘easy to plant’

Senate President Vicente Sotto III. Senate PRIB file photo / Henzberg Austria

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III rejected Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Archie Gamboa’s suggestion that the seizure of at least 50 grams of seized illegal drugs should be “enough” for traffickers to get death sentence.

“Hindi naman pwede yun [That can’t be]. The present law says 200 [grams is], non-bailable, paanong naging 50 [grams] lang death penalty?” Sotto, one of the authors of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, said in a tweet on Wednesday.

“If they insist, then forget the bill,” he added, referring to measures pending in Congress seeking the revival of the death penalty.

Hindi naman pwede yun. The present law says 200grms non bailable, paanong naging 50grms lang Death penalty? If they insist, then forget the bill. https://t.co/f1n16CracL

— Tito Sotto (@sotto_tito) July 29, 2020

Sotto reacted to the suggestion of the PNP chief, following President Rodrigo Duterte’s renewed push for the reimposition of capital punishment in the country for crimes involving illegal drugs.

The Senate president earlier said that the return of death penalty stands a “better chance” in the upper chamber if it will be confined to high-level drug trafficking.

“[Fifty grams] is easy to plant! My bill says ‘High level Drug Trafficking only,’ if you want it to stand a chance!” Sotto said in a separate tweet.

50 grms is easy to plant! My bill says “High level Drug Trafficking only”, if you want it to stand a chance! https://t.co/5WBZl2IzMo

— Tito Sotto (@sotto_tito) July 29, 2020

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.

Currently, there are several bills seeking the revival of the death penalty filed at the Senate. All are still pending at the committee level.

JPV