Pacquiao still hopeful Senate will pass death penalty bill

Sen. Manny Pacquiao. (File photo by RICHARD A. REYES / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

It ain’t over yet, boxer-turned-Senator Manny Pacquiao said of the proposed reimposition of the death penalty in the country.

“Hindi pa po tapos yan,” Pacquiao said in an interview over AksyonTV. “Mahirap namang magbigay comment, magbigay ng conclusion about that issue nang hindi pa talagang natatapos doon sa floor.”

(“The fight is not yet over. It’s hard to comment on or give any conclusion about that issue since it has not been discussed yet on the floor.”)

He was reacting to Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon’s claim that the death penalty bill was already “dead” at the Senate as 13 of 24 senators were likely vote against it.

Pacquiao, who has filed a bill on the death penalty, said he would expect a Senate discussion on the issue when Congress resumes work next week.

And he remained hopeful that his colleagues in the Senate, who are against the death penalty, would have a change of heart.

“Magbubukas na yung (session) sa susunod na linggo, mapapag-usapan yang issue na yan sa death penalty at hindi pa tapos,” Pacquiao said.

(“The session will resume next week. The issue of the death penalty would be discussed so it’s not yet over.”)

“Umaasa pa rin ako na yung iba mga kasamahan ko na tumututol e maiintidihan nila na hindi naman tayo personally nag huhusga kung hindi ang government (has the authority) and (that) authority is established by God,” he said.

The House of Representatives had already approved the death penalty bill, but a similar measure has remained pending at the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights being headed by Sen. Richard Gordon, who is openly opposing the measure.

READ: House approves death penalty bill with 217 yes votes

Despite his stand on the issue, Gordon has repeatedly promised that he would be fair when his committee deliberates on the proposal./rga

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