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Philippine bishop appeals for kill bill 'conscience vote'

Opponents of death penalty make last-ditched appeal for capital punishment bid to fail
Philippine bishop appeals for kill bill 'conscience vote'

Human rights activists march to the House of Representatives in Manila on Feb. 14 to call on legislators not to pass a proposed law that will re-impose capital punishment in the country. (Photo by Angie de Silva)

 

Published: February 15, 2017 06:23 AM GMT
Updated: February 15, 2017 10:20 AM GMT

A leading Catholic bishop in the Philippines appealed to the country's legislators, who are currently deliberating the proposed revival of capital punishment, to vote according to their conscience.

"At the end of the day, I hope the speaker [of the House of Representatives] will allow a conscience vote," said Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan, president of the bishops' conference.

On Feb. 14, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez underscored the need for the approval of the proposed law re-imposing capital punishment for drug-related and heinous crimes.

Archbishop Villegas, however, warned that the restoration of the death penalty would bring "great shame" to the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic nation.

The Philippines will celebrate the fifth centenary of the arrival of Christianity in 2021.

"It is going to cause us great shame as a nation because it is certainly contrary to the Catholic faith that we have received," Archbishop Villegas told a media forum in Manila.

The prelate, however, stressed that church leaders "are not Congress lobbyists" but are only out "to disturb consciences."

Archbishop Villegas said that if "conscience will be allowed to prevail over party lines, it will be a moment of glory for our legislators because it is the triumph of conscience."

The prelate proposed that instead of reviving capital punishment an "aggressive reform of the justice system" should be done.

"With all of these reforms I think we will be at the right track without having to kill criminals by mistake," said Archbishop Villegas.

 

Final push against kill bill

Some 500 human rights activists marched to the House of Representatives on Feb. 14 to appeal to legislators "to take action in accordance with human dignity."

"We sincerely hope that our honorable representatives do not present us with death as a Valentine's Day gift," said Rose Trajano, secretary-general of the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates.

Trajano said passing the bill restoring capital punishment will send a message to our people that "not only is our government repudiating universal love for life but is legislating the culture of violence."

The activists legislators with Valentine's cards that read: "#Lovelife, Vote No to Death Penalty."

"Our goal is to bury this bill by reaching a substantial number of legislators who will stand up to party bullying by Alvarez and assert that the right to life is non-negotiable," said Ellecer Carlos, spokesman of the group iDEFEND.

Alvarez, an ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, said it is his job to press for the administration’s legislative agenda, including the revival of capital punishment.

Alvarez is the secretary-general of the country’s ruling political party and, as speaker is the titular head of the almost 300-member House of Representatives.

The 1987 Philippine Constitution prohibits the death penalty but allows Congress to reinstate it for "heinous crimes."

In 2004, former president Gloria Arroyo, a Catholic, signed a law abolishing capital punishment. 

In 2007, the Philippines ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which aims to abolish the death penalty.

 

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