Lacson doubts prospects of death penalty bill in Senate

Senator Panfilo Lacson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ ALEXIS CORPUZ

Several senators on Tuesday expressed doubts that the death penalty bill will gain steam in the Senate despite the prodding of President Rodrigo Duterte during his State of the Nation Address on Monday, when he referred to capital punishment as the “only way” to instill fear among criminals.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, one of the authors of the measure, said it would be hard to get a majority support for it with the current composition of the Senate.

“I am an author of the death penalty bill for almost the same reason cited by the President. But even with his prodding, I don’t see it being revived under his watch or at least with the present composition of the Senate,” Lacson told reporters.

Priority bill

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III on Tuesday said the death penalty bill was a “de facto” priority and “that it will be scheduled soon.”

At the opening of Congress’ second regular session, Pimentel did not mention the death penalty bill in the legislative agenda of the Senate.

Tax reform, the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, the creation of a national identification system and the shift to federalism were among its priorities.

But Pimentel told reporters that the bill would be discussed in the Senate’s “regular course of business” as a “gesture of friendship” to the House of Representatives.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, for his part, said he did not see the bill “on the radar.”

Majority’s burden

Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said there were not enough votes in the Senate to make the bill move forward, reiterating the minority bloc’s position against the revival of capital punishment.

“Let the majority work on this [if this was an order] of the President. I assume that it is the burden of the majority. In so far as the minority is concerned, we will oppose it,” he said in an interview.

Sen. Grace Poe said the Senate should prioritize bills that would have an impact on the livelihood and well-being of Filipinos.

“Before we even tackle the death penalty, perhaps we need to make sure that our judiciary and law enforcement institutions are reformed,” Poe said in a text message.

Hearing suspended

Sen. Risa Hontiveros also pointed out that the hearing of the bill had been suspended earlier after the Department of Justice admitted that the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the Philippines is a party, did not have an exit clause.

Mr. Duterte should not be upset if majority of the senators were against it, said Sen. Richard Gordon, noting that the issue was “basically a principle position.”

“When we talk about life, we should vote based on principles,” Gordon said, adding that imprisonment was still a “bigger deterrent” than capital punishment.