Binay: Death penalty’s timing off with COVID-19 death toll on the rise

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Nancy Binay on Thursday questioned the timing of renewed calls to revive the death penalty as the number of coronavirus infections and death toll continue to rise.

In an interview over CNN Philippines, Binay affirmed her stand against the death penalty, adding that the government would do well to focus first on how to aid Filipinos affected by the pandemic and to prevent more deaths due to the disease.

“Para sa akin, at the moment, mag-focus muna tayo kung paano tayo mabubuhay, at kung paano natin bubuhayin ang ating mga kababayan,” she said.

(For me, at the moment, we need to focus on how to live and how to help our countrymen survive)

Binay said broaching the issue on death penalty at this time, might only divert attention from the threat of coronavirus.

“The conversation will shift towards death (capital punishment) again when there’s so much death already happening around us,” she said.

Binay cited the increasing number of victims of the COVID-19 pandemic currently gripping the country.

“Everyday there are reports na 20 yung namatay today, the next day 30, 40… We need to talk about paano tayo mabubuhay,” she said.

(Everyday there are reports of 20 people who died today, the next day 30, 40… We need to talk about how to live)

According to the Department of Health’s COVID-19 tally, 1,962 Filipinos have succumbed to the disease since the first fatality back in March.

Unless needed reforms in justice system are put in place, Binay the death penalty will remain a peril to poverty-stricken Filipinos who will not be able to afford the “best lawyers.”

“There is always that, hindi magiging patas ang hustisya hangga’t hindi naayos ito,” she said.

(There is always that, justice will never be just unless we reform the system)

Earlier, Senator Manny Pacquiao, along with fellow administration allies like Senator Ronaldo “Bato” dela Rosa and Senator Bong Go, voiced their support towards the reinstatement of the death penalty by lethal injection for drug-related crimes.

On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte made another push for the death penalty during his penultimate State of the Nation Address.

Senator Richard Gordon meanwhile, warned the Duterte administration of constitutional issues because the Philippines would first have to opt out of an international treaty for the government to be able to reinstate the capital punishment.

But he warned of “international opprobrium” should the government decide to do so. (Jim Mendoza, Trainee)

EDV