Church will convince Duterte to drop death penalty–AdDU president

DAVAO CITY—President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s pro-poor stance and preference for the return of the death penalty is not something that can be reconciled, the president of Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) tells INQUIRER.net.

Fr. Joel Tabora says that while he supports the Duterte administration’s pro-poor thrust, the incoming President’s insistence on the death penalty is a seeming contradiction.

“I think President Duterte really wants to go after crime. He wants people to respect the law. And as of now he is convinced that getting people to respect the law can be done by a death penalty, by the legislation of a death penalty,” Tabora told INQUIRER.net during an interview in his office.

“The Church has over and over again insisted that the death penalty is not the answer. And I think the Church and the Catholic university, like this, will try to convince him that this is not the answer,” he said.

Tabora pointed out that Duterte will also have to deal with Congress, which is tasked to approve new laws.

“Congress will decide on the basis of Congress’ perception of the common good,” he said.

“The Church I think will make its stance and say, in so many cases, the death penalty has been anti-poor because it normally kills not the rich but the poor. And sometimes erroneously. Many times because they cannot get legal assistance,” he argued.

During the hour-long interview, Tabora discussed the prospects of a Duterte government and how it would benefit Mindanao and bring about social justice.

He said among the problems that may be resolved by Duterte was the conflict in Mindanao, the exploitation of natural resources and the displacement of indigenous peoples.

“I think everybody will benefit if the problems of peace in Mindanao is addressed. I think everybody will benefit also if the problems of indigenous peoples is also addressed. I think when we talk about indigenous peoples, we are to a great extent talking about our national heritage, our national soul,” he explained.

Duterte has long announced that he will push for the return of the death penalty after it was abolished in 2006 by his predecessor former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

He has also once said that perpetrators of heinous crimes such as robbery with homicide and rape should be killed by hanging, twice.

But the Catholic Church and the Commission on Human Rights have objected, saying it will not deter criminality.

The Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) called the plan anti-poor, saying that before the death penalty was abolished, 70 percent of death row inmates were poor and were allegedly wrongfully convicted.

It said the poor were more vulnerable because they did not have enough resources to hire good lawyers. They also have “no voice” and “no power.”