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Thursday, February 23, 2017
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MANILA – Critics on Wednesday said efforts at the House of Representatives to revive the death penalty may become futile if the Senate won’t act on its counterpart measure.
While the supermajority at the lower chamber is perceived to be backing the bill, the Senate seems to be divided on the proposed measure.
“Nalulungkot ako dahil nauubos ang oras sa death penalty na di naman aaktuhan ng Senado samantalang napakadaming mas makakabuting bills ang hindi nadidinig sa plenaryo,” said Kabayan party-list representative Harry Roque.
Buhay Party List representative Lito Atienza shared the same observation. He also called on the majority not to railroad the bill by skipping the debates.
“Why are you rushing it? Kailangan marinig natin ang lahat maski masakit sa tenga ng majority yun, makinig kayo,” Atienza said.
“There are about 20 members still wanting to participate and interpellate. Why would you now deprive these 20 members to be satisfied with the exchanges in the interpellation?”
Atienza believes the absence of a quorum is proof that a majority of the lawmakers at the lower chamber actually reject the bill.
“That’s one way of looking at it but I think the main reason there is no quorum is the lack of interest on the part of the general membership, especially the majority,” he said.
House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, meanwhile, admitted that the death penalty bill will face rough sailing in the Senate.
Separately, Akbayan party-list representative Tom Villarin in a statement said that the Philippines risks losing over $12 billion in trade benefits and over 200,000 jobs if it reimposes the death penalty.
Villarin said if the Philippines revives the death penalty, it will lose zero tariffs privilege for its exports to European Union countries.
“Why will we let go of such gains when the perceived benefits of reimposing the death penalty are non-existent?” he said. (ABS-CBN News)
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