Manny Pacquiao supports death penalty for drug lords

Senator Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday hopes that majority of his colleagues will support a death penalty which will only prey on drug lords. (Photo: Manny Pacquiao/Facebook)

Senator Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday said he hopes that majority of his colleagues will support a death penalty bill which will only prey on drug lords.

The appointed chairman of the Senate subcommittee on death penalty emphasized that there are no poor drug lords anyway.

“Mahihirapan talaga kami (It’s hard for us) to get the majority but we’re going to explain again to my colleagues that pipiliin lang natin: kumbaga ang gusto namin dito is yung drug lords (we will choose: for example, we want here are drug lords),” the senator said in an interview on ANC’s Headstart.

“Wala naman sigurong drug lords na mahirap. Hindi ‘yung mga users, yung mga drug lords talaga ang gusto namin (There are probably no poor drug lords. Not the users, the drug lords are who we really want),” he added.

Pacquiao said that they are going to conduct another hearing to discuss the details on what would amount to a “drug lord.”

“Hindi naman siguro masama na puro lang sa drug lord kasi yun ang gumagawa. Nasisira ang kabataan natin (It’s not bad that we’re only [targeting] drug lords because they are the ones doing it. Our young ones are ruined) because of these people,” he said.

The senator said some of his colleagues had already expressed their support for the measure as long as death penalty is limited to drug offenses.

Pacquiao has filed three separate bills on death penalty: one on drug trafficking under Senate Bill 185, kidnapping in Senate Bill 186, and aggravated rape in Senate Bill 187. Several senators also filed death penalty proposals for various crimes.

Mentioning Article III, Section 19 of the 1987 Constitution, Pacquiao stressed that death penalty in the country was never abolished.

“Excessive fines shall not be imposed, nor cruel, degrading or inhuman punishment inflicted. Neither shall death penalty be imposed, unless, for compelling reasons involving heinous crimes, the Congress hereafter provides for it. Any death penalty already imposed shall be reduced to reclusion perpetua,” the section stated.

“May (there’s an) exception na ‘unless for compelling reasons involving heinous crimes.’ Meaning, the death penalty in our country is not abolished. It’s just moratorium issued by President Gloria nung time niya (during her time). Pero nung Ramos, andyan yung (but during Ramos’ time, there’s) death penalty,” Pacquiao said.

The Philippines  in 1987 was the first Asian country to ablish death penalty. However, it was reinstated by former President Fidel V. Ramos due to increasing crime rates. It was abolished again in 2006 after former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Republic Act 9346.

Pacquiao, a Born-Again Christian, stressed that his support for the death penalty law does not resist his religious beliefs, saying that the government can mete this punishment.

“I am a born again Christian. I agree thou shall not kill. I believe that. Ang gusto ko malaman nila (I want them to know), we are not talking individually. Ang sabi ng Panginoon, huwag ka pumatay sa kapwa mo. Huwag mo ilagay ang batas sa kamay (the Lord says, don’t kill your fellowmen. Don’t put the law in your hands) but there is authority meaning the government which is established and instituted by God,” he said.

“Sabi ng Bible (the Bible says), whoever rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted…All of us, if there’s a law, if there’s a government, lahat tayo (all of us are) bound sa (to the) government. Puwede tayong parusahan ng government (The government can punish us),” he added.