MANILA, Philippines — A death penalty bill will not fly in Congress if corruption will be included in the crimes punishable under the measure, according to Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.
The senator has refiled his bill seeking to reinstate capital punishment in the country but only for high-level drug trafficking.
READ: Bato dela Rosa sees death penalty bill OK with Tolentino helming Senate justice panel
Earlier, however, Senator Christopher “ Bong” Go said he would push for his version of the measure, imposing the death penalty for certain heinous crimes like illegal drug trade and plunder.
Dela Rosa is certain a proposal to include corruption in the measure would not get the approval of Congress.
“Napakahirap niyan dahil to be frank about it, maraming politiko nai-involve sa corruption,” he told OneNews PH’s The Chiefs on Monday.
(That will be very difficult because, to be frank about it, a lot of politicians are getting involved in corruption)
“Hindi makalusot ‘yang batas na ‘yan sigurado ako ‘pag corruption isama mo dyan. Eh ‘yung mga corrupt na politiko dyan, boboto kaya ‘yan para mabitay sila? Hindi ‘yan boboto ah. Haharangin nila yang batas na ‘yan,” the senator added.
(I’m sure that law will not pass if you include corruption there. Do you think corrupt politicians will vote to get hanged? Of course, they will not vote for it. They will block that law)
This is also the reason why Dela Rosa said he is limiting his proposal to high-level drug trafficking.
Because according to him, adding more heinous crimes to the proposed legislation would just make it difficult to get the approval of Congress.
“…Dahil nga kung sabihin mo na kasama ‘yung mga heinous crimes, maraming nagco-commit ng heinous crimes na mahihirap,” he pointed out.
(Because if you include other heinous crimes, a lot of people committing heinous crimes are poor.)
“So ‘pag sila ‘yung tinamaan, magiging anti-poor na naman daw itong batas na ito dahil nga ang nabibitay nga yung mga pobre na hindi kayang magdepensa sa sarili nila sa korte,” Dela Rosa further said.
(So this law will become anti-poor because only the poor would be hanged since they could not afford to defend themselves in court.)