May 12
PHILIPPINES:
Death penalty should be revived
There are many measures being proposed in Congress that I am not in favor of.
In fact, I often feel that there are far too many laws now being enforced or
waiting for their turn in Congress that are just duplicates of existing laws or
rewording of laws that are in existence and just not being enforced. I feel
that instead of looking for way too many new laws to pass, we should focus on
implementation instead. After all, what is a law if can't be enforced or
pushed? It's just a bunch of words on paper with no real meaning.
However, there is a measure being proposed by Senator Tito Sotto about bringing
back the death penalty that I feel merits more attention. In fact, I have to
strongly agree that the death penalty should be revived if we really want to
make a dent in the alarmingly high rise in crime in recent years.
In the past, criminals that were found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of
heinous crimes were sentenced to death by electric chair. And I feel that if
this measure were once again available in our judicial system then perhaps
criminals would have something to fear. I've said in columns past that I think
one of the reasons that criminals commit crimes with abandon here is that they
are not afraid of facing consequences. They always feel that they will get away
with it. Perhaps a harder stance on crime is required in order to make real
change.
It may not completely eradicate crime. I'm pragmatic enough to recognize that,
but we've been hungry for some real change when it comes to dealing out justice
and perhaps this could be a good 1st step. Unfortunately I know that committing
to capital punishment also means committing to being able to dispense justice
fairly and truly. After all, when a human is asked to pay the ultimate price
for his crime, we have to be sure that they are guilty 100 % beyond reasonable
doubt.
That's the 1 hurdle I feel the death penalty will face should implementation
come to pass. Not only are criminals not afraid of the consequences of their
actions in the Philippines, but they also feel that they will get off when it
comes to prosecution. This is even truer if they have money. In our country we
have to face the fact that money talks and sometimes even if a criminal is
caught red-handed, they manage to buy their way out. If capital punishment is
once again implemented, we have to be sure that this can no longer happen. When
it comes to this kind of justice, it should be applicable to everyone or no
one. That is the only way it will truly work. After all, look at the case of
Mary Jane Veloso? After all the protesting we did to save her life, we have to
be just as flexible when evidence proves that someone may not be truly guilty.
The road to amending the justice system is definitely going to be very long and
very tedious. Corruption must be weeded out and of course, many human rights
activists and the Catholic bishops will protest the return of capital
punishment, but I feel that, if paired with a just and reliable system, it will
do more good than harm. After all, why side with the criminals who roam the
streets and commit crimes instead of the victims who have lost loved ones and
have had their lives changed forever? It's time to pay the piper when it comes
to heinous crimes and high time to make criminals fear the consequences of
their actions.
Perhaps this way senseless violence can be avoided. I read an editorial
recently that spoke about the many acts of violence people face on the road and
I can't help but feel that these cases are a ridiculous waste. Many of them
have even ended in someone losing their lives. What's astounding is that a lot
of the perpetrators have the gall to disobey road rules and then violently lash
out when caught in the act. What gives these terrible road rage perpetrators
the confidence to act so badly? It???s the fact that so many of them get away
with it with only a slap on the wrist.
Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think road rage criminals deserve the death
penalty (unless they killed someone of course - that would be a different
story), but I think that if we adjust the justice system to enforce capital
punishment than enforcing punishment for all crimes should level up. I guess in
general, I feel that we need to enforce punishment better across all crimes and
that if this happens than I hope we would see a decrease in violence and crime
in the country.
Honestly, it astounds me how brazen criminals can be with little to no regard
for human life or safety. Be it cases of riding in tandem, road rage gone bad,
ATM skimming crimes, or even just snatch and pull right on the street in plain
site the incidences of crime are rising at an alarming rate and it's become
scary to even drive on Edsa in broad daylight. We see more and more videos
being posted on social media sites warning us about new ways criminals are
committing crimes and it's become ridiculous already. What do we need to do to
make our society safe?
Again, I don't think that re-implementing the death penalty is going to fix it
all, but I can't help but feel it's a good 1st step because it will not only
give criminals something to fear, but it will force us to take a good long and
hard look at our justice system as well and fix what needs to be fixed. After
all, these steps will go hand in hand if capital punishment is back in the mix.
It's going to be a very long process, but I think it's time to bring back the
Old Testament message of "An eye for an eye." It's high time criminals have
something to fear again.
(source: Opinion, Tony Katigbak----The Philippine Star)
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