The House of Representatives will jumpstart plenary debates on the bill seeking to reimpose the death penalty on illegal drugs and heinous crimes when Congress resumes its sessions next week.
House Deputy Speaker and Cadiz Rep. Fredenil Castro said the House will prioritize the passage of the measure heavily opposed by the Catholic Church hierarchy.
Castro, one of the principal authors of the bill, will defend the measure in the plenary.
“The purpose of this bill is to protect life,” he said, anticipating long and intense plenary debates on the controversial proposal.
Voting 12-6 with one abstention, the House Committee on Justice approved last December the committee report on the substitute bill seeking to reimpose the death penalty on illegal drugs and heinous crimes.
Castro said he is “ready at all time” to defend the bill backed by the House leadership. “I am anticipating a long arduous hours of debate but I welcome it so that no issues are left untouched,” he said.
“It is advisable that every stage of the proceeding be covered by television, radio, and print media so that our people will understand the necessity, propriety, and wisdom of the bill,” Castro said.
Castro said the bill could be passed on third and final reading “on or before the end of February.”
“If the debate is protracted, I am not confident that it could be passed on third and final reading this January.
Perhaps, on or before the end of February 2017 considering the other equally important measures that has to be acted upon by the House,” he said. (CHARISSA M. LUCI)