FILE PHOTO Retired PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar
MANILA, Philippines — At a time when the police force is facing scrutiny over the Duterte administration’s brutal drug war, senatorial aspirant and retired Philippine National Police chief Guillermo Eleazar said on Tuesday that he is against the death penalty, saying that the country still needs to improve its criminal justice system.
“No, I am not for death penalty,” Eleazar said over ANC when asked if he is for the capital punishment.
“Pinakamaganda pa din na palakasin natin ang criminal justice system natin, dahil kung masisiguro natin na mapaparusahan ang mga yan, eh ‘yun ang ating best crime prevention,” Eleazar added.
(It’s much better to strengthen our criminal justice system, because if we ensure that the criminals get punished, that’s the best crime prevention measure.)
Eleazar said he would only favor death penalty if the country has a “perfect system.”
“It’s better to free or acquit ten guilty persons rather than to make suffer or to convict one innocent man,” he pointed out.
Eleazar, upon his retirement from the PNP last November 13, announced his senatorial bid under Partido Reporma, with its standard bearer, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, himself a former PNP chief during the Estrada administration, and who has withdrawn his principal authorship of a bill seeking to reimpose death penalty.
Earlier, Eleazar rejected calls for him to run for Senate, saying he intended to finish his term until retirement
It was during his term when a complaint was filed by human rights groups before the International Criminal Court against President Duterte and several other officials for crimes humanity over alleged state sponsored extrajudicial killings related to the government’s drug war.