Hontiveros, Several Lawmakers Hopes To Kill Proposed Death Penalty Bill

Senator Hontiveros, Several Lawmakers Hopes To Invalidate Proposed Death Penalty Bill Reimposition

On Thursday (December 08, 2016), Senator Risa Hontiveros together with several lawmakers in the senate hopes to kill the proposed death penalty bill.

The death penalty has been approved earlier by the House justice committee with a vote of 12 in favor, 6 not in favor, and 1 undecided. The majority of the lawmakers was in favor to reimpose the capital punishment.

Hontiveros said that only 7 senators were totally opposing the restoration of the death penalty at the start of 17^th Congress. The number of senators opposing the bill has grown for about 9 to 10. Risa said that it signifies that they have a big chance to stop the implementation of the death penalty.

The growing number of lawmakers opposing the capital punishment signifies that they will have a good fight to invalidate the bill on the senate. The proposed death penalty bill is on the “Kill Bill” list of Hontiveros along with some senators.

On Thursday, human rights agenda was presented by Amnesty International Philippines at the 17^th congress. The rejection of the reimposition of the death penalty in the Philippines becomes their first agenda.

“They will not make our country safer. They will only result in unparalleled monstrosity. Together with the growing number of unresolved extrajudicial killings, they will contribute to a reign of terror in our country,” said by Hontiveros quoted by Rappler.

Dinagat Islands Representative Kaka Bag-ao and Siquijor Representative Ramon Rocamora also opposes the death penalty. Rocamora said that the bill should be completely prohibited by the Constitution.

Bag-ao said that this bill is not a solution to address the problems in the country. She also cited the abolition of the death penalty in the country last 2006 under the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The hearing for the proposed bill will be held before the Congress takes its Christmas vacation. The debate for the death penalty is extended and will resume in January 2017.