Malacañang has denied that President Duterte coerced lawmakers into passing the bill seeking the reimposition of death penalty.
Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the President respects the independence of Congress and count on its wisdom on the passage of the measure.
“The revival of death penalty is a campaign promise of President Duterte and part of the priority legislative measure of his administration,” Andanar said.
“The President respects the independence of Congress as a separate co-equal branch of government. He trusts the wisdom of our lawmakers to see that the enactment of such law would benefit the nation,” he added.
Andanar said the proposed death penalty law would not only instill respect for law among the people but also end impunity and prosecute criminals to the full extent of the law.
Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza had revealed that the passage of the death penalty bill is being railroaded supposedly upon the orders of Malacañang. Atienza said lawmakers are now “under pressure” to pass the death penalty bill, an initiative of the Duterte administration.
The President had candidly declared that he might carry out five executions of convicts a day to ease prison congestion once the death penalty is reimposed.
He has openly called for the revival of death penalty to punish criminals and lamented that Filipinos have disregarded the law since fear was no longer there. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)
