Pacquiao says plunder convicts should serve life terms, without parole

FILE PHOTO: Senator Manny Pacquiao. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential candidate Senator Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday said parole should not be given to those who were convicted of plunder and graft charges as they should suffer the consequences of their crime to the full extent.

“’Pag corruption ang issue ng kaso mo, plunder ang kaso mo, dapat walang parole kapag nakulong ka at nasistensyahan ka,” he said in an interview over One News.

(If your case is corruption, plunder, you should not be given parole if you were jailed and convicted.)

“Dapat pagdusahan mo habang-buhay hanggang sa mamatay ka, matapos ang buhay mo doon, nakakulong ka. Kasi nagnakaw ka, isa yan sa karumal-dumal at ang naghihirap ay yung mga tao,” Pacquiao added.

(You should suffer for the rest of your life. You should be in jail because you stole and it is the people who are suffering from your crime.)

He lamented how the country’s judicial system lacks budget and is “weak” which results to a number of still unresolved cases.

The process should be expedited, he said.

Pacquiao had proposed a “special court” where corruption cases will be tried, which would cut down the time for the resolutions to corruption and graft cases to three to six months.

One of the boxer-turned-politician’s major campaign promises is stomping out corruption in government, which he blamed for mass poverty and stunted economic growth, saying it is one of the country’s biggest problems.

EDV