CBCP, VACC talk on death penalty

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and a crime watchdog group have agreed to disagree on the bill reinstating the death penalty even as they have forged a cooperative relationship in their fight against heinous crimes.

“This is not to prevent one another from believing what they believe in, but we will respect each other’s position,” said Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) founding chair Dante Jimenez after a meeting with CBCP representatives.

During the meeting, the VACC gave the CBCP a letter entitled “VACC appeals to CBCP for understanding” in which the group explained its arguments for supporting the death penalty bill.

The CBCP has firmly opposed efforts to reinstate the death penalty.

Earlier this month, the VACC sought a dialogue with CBCP president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas on the death penalty bill, which was approved on third and final reading in the House of Representatives.

Villegas was not present during the closed-door, two-hour meeting at the CBCP’s office in Intramuros, Manila.

CBCP secretary general Fr. Marvin Mejia, Fr. Jerome Secillano of the Permanent Committee on Public Affairs and Rodolfo Diamante of the Episcopal Commission on Prison and Pastoral Care represented the CBCP.

In an interview, Jimenez described the meeting as very cordial and respectful despite the very sensitive issue tackled.

He said the VACC met with the CBCP to reach out, as he welcomed the Catholic organization’s assurance that it would respect the death penalty bill once it becomes a law.