Philippines: Death penalty may be here by Oct - Koko

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYHksdDiCOppMORfHPSjSBnskDljqtpfAv3ZNpJ0X3cTSC19YtU7eJzaclh4Cfhjv_KLQKHX4WYtUxeZEOQwVpu5b7mOJpI2HJB_Wlko4LyoQFNVKDlrWIlG5fDDvROIdv_2Y8z5rmJA/s1600/Duterte+election.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Duterte election" border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYHksdDiCOppMORfHPSjSBnskDljqtpfAv3ZNpJ0X3cTSC19YtU7eJzaclh4Cfhjv_KLQKHX4WYtUxeZEOQwVpu5b7mOJpI2HJB_Wlko4LyoQFNVKDlrWIlG5fDDvROIdv_2Y8z5rmJA/s400/Duterte+election.jpg" title="Duterte election" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is big chance for the Senate to pass a measure that would pave way for the revival of the death penalty in the country, and presumptive Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel 3rd expects to have it passed by October this year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to Pimentel, the proposal seeking to reimpose capital punishment is set to be filed on July 25, the opening of the first legislative session of the 17th Congress, and have it referred to the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The committee will then conduct a series of consultations and public hearings by August, introduced it to the plenary by September and pass it on 3rd and final reading by October.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Theoretically, Yes," Pimentel said, when asked if it is possible for the Senate to pass the death penalty proposal in 3 months.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The reimposition of the death penalty is one of the priority measures of incoming President Rodrigo Duterte.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Duterte, in a recent news conference, said he would ask lawmakers to approve the capital punishment for heinous crimes, such as drug-related offenses and rape.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But aside from reviving the death penalty, he wants the punishment carried out through hanging.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Incoming Sen. Panfilo Lacson in a separate text message said it is possible for the Senate to pass the proposal reimposing the capital punishment but not within the suggested timeline of Pimentel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Also, Lacson added that he is for the revival of the death penalty but not in the manner Duterte wants it to be carried out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said aside from the capital punishment being inhumane, he does not want the people to witness medieval age-like executions even of the most notorious criminals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lacson, based on an initial list of Senate committee chairmanships released by Sen. Vicente Sotto 3rd on Thursday, will be heading the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"What I can assure them is that once the bill is referred to the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs assuming that it will be the designated committee, and again, assuming that I will chair the same, I will conduct continuous public hearings and floor deliberations until [they reach their] logical conclusion," he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lacson added that the final version will depend on the issues involved and how firm his colleagues would stand on the matter.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Several lawmakers have expressed their respective positions on the issue and while some are not in favor of the death penalty, they remain open to study the proposal to revive it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Senator Juan Edgardo Angara said he is willing to study the proposal but, for him, the only way to deter crimes is through "ensuring certainty of arrest and prosecution."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sen. Ralph Recto said he is against the capital punishment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He, however, added that he might reconsider his position if majority of his colleagues would support the proposal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Assuming it will be restored, I will propose it be imposed only for six years or only during the term of President Duterte," Recto said in a text message on Friday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Outgoing Senate President Franklin Drilon said the he is against the reimposition of the death penalty but he is willing to listen.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Personally I am against it because basically, I see an imperfect justice system where errors can be committed ... I am willing to listen because there are very strong proponents on both sides. We will come to a final decision when it goes to the floor for a vote," Drilon added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sen. Francis Escudero, who is likely to take the Senate minority leader post in the next Congress, is against the capital punishment, noting that it fails to recognize that guilty people have the potential to change, denying them the opportunity to rejoin society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Source: Manila Times, June 10, 2016</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chief Justice Sereno reminds Duterte: Legislation needed to restore death penalty</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Friday reminded President-elect Rodrigo Duterte that restoring the implementation of capital punishment or death penalty requires an act of Congress.<br /><br />Sereno said this following pronouncements from the president-elect that he plans to implement this measure for heinous crimes including robbery with rape within the next 6 months, and carry out at least 50 executions a month to deter crime.<br /><br />"I think our leader is realistic enough to know that the legislative process must be undertaken before he can even implement death penalty by hanging," Sereno told reporters after delivering a speech at the Supreme Court's founding anniversary.<br /><br />"Let's see. Congress is soon to open, and the political will and the logic of such a move, those will be maybe evident in the months to come," she said.<br /><br />Sereno assured the public that the judiciary would ensure that the constitutionally identified values of the people are upheld.<br /><br />The chief justice said she was eager to "see in what way that objectives of the government within the parameters of the Constitution can be met."<br /><br />Until such move from Congress to restore the death penalty is made, Sereno said the only thing the Supreme Court can do is keep mum on the matter.<br /><br />"Our role only comes in when a controversy is before us. Before that, we need to, as you already know, maintain our silence," she said.<br /><br />Key allies of Duterte have already expressed confidence in getting support from the legislature for his planned reforms, especially after successfully sealing alliances with several political parties to form what they termed as a "super majority" in Congress.<br /><br />The incoming president's camp had claimed more than 200 of the 290-member House of Representatives are now on Duterte's side while at least 17 out of 24 senators indicated their support for the incoming administration which will take power on June 30.<br /><br />Duterte's allies see the "super majority" giving a boost to Duterte's plans to shift the form of government from presidential to federal, relax restrictions on foreign ownership of certain businesses, and re-impose the death penalty for heinous crimes.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVEab_w3D5jR4vIoAtZ5BtIUclKVBN1B5ZH3B0KyxojroJJh7pgAW9f8YCnffEY3w27udCMQmTBdG1j8NlmD_rOrrfhziFrbvAxoynwJSlaqsfCzJAGYhXtdnYnDBtqJkXm5adatY-U0Q/s1600/Drug+pushers+found+carrying+packs+of+%25E2%2580%259Cshabu%25E2%2580%259D+worth+P4+million+in+their+car+by+Quezon+City+Police.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVEab_w3D5jR4vIoAtZ5BtIUclKVBN1B5ZH3B0KyxojroJJh7pgAW9f8YCnffEY3w27udCMQmTBdG1j8NlmD_rOrrfhziFrbvAxoynwJSlaqsfCzJAGYhXtdnYnDBtqJkXm5adatY-U0Q/s400/Drug+pushers+found+carrying+packs+of+%25E2%2580%259Cshabu%25E2%2580%259D+worth+P4+million+in+their+car+by+Quezon+City+Police.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>But Sereno insisted: "Until that is a law, it does not yet become a justiciable matter, and even if it becomes a law, of course, you already know the requirements before a justiciable matter ripens, is before us. Until then, we will really need to be, uh, keep our peace on this and observe."<br /><br />The 1987 Constitution prohibited the death penalty but allowed Congress to reinstate it "hereafter" for "heinous crimes" making the Philippines the first Asian country to abolish capital punishment.<br /><br />President Fidel V. Ramos promised during his campaign that he would support the re-introduction of the death penalty in response to increasing crime rates.<br /><br />A new law, drafted by Ramos' allies in Congress, restored capital punishment by defining "heinous crimes" as everything from murder to stealing a car.<br /><br />Executions resumed in 1999, starting with Leo Echegaray, who was put to death by lethal injection under the Estrada administration.<br /><br />Incidentally, it was in the Echegaray case when Duterte's ally, Martin Dino, initially shot to national prominence for acting as the guardian of Echegaray's daughter and victim.<br /><br />Republic Act 9346 signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2006 suspended the imposition of capital punishment.<br /><br />Source: gmanetwork.com, June 10, 2016<br /><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Report an error, an omission:<a href="mailto:deathpenaltynews@gmail.com" target="_blank"> deathpenaltynews@gmail.com</a></span> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span> <span style="font-size: small;"> - Follow us on <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Death-Penalty-News-206848499362906/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </b>and <b><a href="https://twitter.com/WebDPN" target="_blank">Twitter</a></b></span></div></div>

Death Penalty Restoration Drug trafficking Philippines Public hanging Rodrigo Duterte Philippines: Death penalty may be here by Oct - Koko

There is big chance for the Senate to pass a measure that would pave way for the revival of the death penalty in the country, and presumptiv...

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Duterte eyeing 50 executions every month - lawmaker

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSaVdAYljJgek6IgLWvmN3kVJVXDvf_Mv5K086HeVwV32GVWFwVM36OF-JUtTP_r6TcxrvX3E1Bobh3fFR7dHMKmupY8RJXGaWAT9sFAVU057uk1d1jDTnBfopjuwrDsdt1V3AOLsv8A/s1600/Rodrigo+Duterte_+tarpaulins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSaVdAYljJgek6IgLWvmN3kVJVXDvf_Mv5K086HeVwV32GVWFwVM36OF-JUtTP_r6TcxrvX3E1Bobh3fFR7dHMKmupY8RJXGaWAT9sFAVU057uk1d1jDTnBfopjuwrDsdt1V3AOLsv8A/s400/Rodrigo+Duterte_+tarpaulins.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Incoming president Rodrigo Duterte wants 50 convicts executed every month by hanging once Congress re-imposes the death penalty, representative-elect Danilo Suarez of Quezon said yesterday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"He feels that if at least 50 drug lords and other convicts are hanged every month, their execution will deter crime," he told the Usaping Balita forum at the Serye Cafe in Quezon City.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said Duterte revealed his plans during a meeting with 19 members of the House of Representatives led by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Tuesday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said the nation's next leader told them that he would like Congress to restore the death penalty within 6 months or before year end.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said Duterte intends to certify a <a href="http://deathpenaltynews.blogspot.com/2016/06/philippines-pro-death-penalty-bill.html" target="_blank">capital punishment re-imposition bill as urgent</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Suarez recalled that in the course of Tuesday's meeting, reelected Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr., who is being groomed to chair the House appropriations committee, suggested that funds could be set aside for the rehabilitation of the death chamber at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa, where execution through lethal injection could be carried out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"But the president-elect declared there was no need for it as he preferred hanging as mode of execution," he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said if Congress enacts a bill lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 15, youth convicted of heinous crimes such as drug trafficking would be covered by the planned re-imposition of the death penalty.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kabataan Rep. Terry Ridon, another guest at the forum, said Duterte would not see the execution of convicted drug lords and other offenders in the early part of his administration.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"They have to go through the legal process. The offenders have to be convicted. Then there is the mandatory review of their conviction. Knowing our justice system, it will take time, maybe years," he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said the death penalty, if Congress restores it, would be applied on future offenders, not on convicts serving time at Bilibid.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Suarez agreed with Ridon, but said if suspected drug lords choose to fight law enforcers, they would suffer death just the same.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"In our province, if there is a drug lord in a community and he is arrested, he is freed and is back to his illegal activities in a few days because he has bribed the judge and the prosecutor. This does not happen in Davao City (where Duterte is mayor)," Suarez said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said the incoming leader asked him, Belmonte and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Farinas, who is being eyed as the next majority leader, to help incoming speaker Pantaleon Alvarez push for the return of capital punishment and other legislative priorities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They said they promised to support Duterte's priority legislative measures.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ridon, who belongs to the Makabayan bloc, said their group would oppose the re-imposition of the death penalty.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"I predict a showdown on this issue inside and outside Congress, what with the Catholic Church against the death penalty," he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said there are also party-list representatives, including Lito Atienza of Buhay, who are opposed to capital punishment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"I think it will face rough sailing," he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Pro-death penalty</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Returning senator Panfilo Lacson yesterday said he supports the reimposition of the death penalty for heinous crimes but not by hanging as proposed by Duterte.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lacson said he finds the penalty "too medieval."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Senate President Franklin Drilon, for his part, said he is open to a discussion on the proposal to restore the death penalty in the country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, he said that this is not a decision that should be rushed because it carries with it very serious implications.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>'Uphold rule of law'</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Acting Justice Secretary Emmanuel Caparas is hopeful that the administration of Duterte will respect and uphold the rule of law.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a press conference yesterday, he urged critics to give Duterte a chance to perform his duties amid criticisms on his manner of speaking and perceived inhuman anti-criminality policies.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Let's give the incoming president a chance. If after several months or years we see something wrong, then that's the time we speak. For now, let's allow him to do his job," Caparas stressed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The outgoing Department of Justice (DOJ) chief revealed that he already met with his successor, Vitaliano Aguirre II, for the transition of administration.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We had 2 productive sessions. He strikes me as a man who wants to get to the bottom of things immediately. As what he said in the media, he would like to prioritize cases on drugs and graft and corruption," he bared.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Caparas also dispelled fears of the DOJ dropping from its witnesses protection program (WPP) the witness on alleged anomalies in the administration of detained former president and re-elected Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a known ally of Duterte.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Source: PhilippineStar, June 10, 2016</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Report an error, an omission:<a href="mailto:deathpenaltynews@gmail.com" target="_blank"> deathpenaltynews@gmail.com</a></span> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span> <span style="font-size: small;"> - Follow us on <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Death-Penalty-News-206848499362906/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </b>and <b><a href="https://twitter.com/WebDPN" target="_blank">Twitter</a></b></span></div></div>

Catholics Death Penalty Restoration Drug trafficking lethal injections Philippines Public hanging Rodrigo Duterte Duterte eyeing 50 executions every month - lawmaker

Incoming president Rodrigo Duterte wants 50 convicts executed every month by hanging once Congress re-imposes the death penalty, representat...

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Iran: Two Men Hanged in Public in Shiraz

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWYdOOkay2gs6jYuFcLk2REsPK6FVNa3G2ZcredKFzyqNHxDK-ZyIpTrNvFUHHg0u7eBo2AV7GWecp8GAFmGJGK-vMT5ANbL0MxkYaJwYr1rHtoN6GqlL08Zls3gAEgTONOvB-k1NY9o/s1600/Shiraz+Iran+5+JUNE+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWYdOOkay2gs6jYuFcLk2REsPK6FVNa3G2ZcredKFzyqNHxDK-ZyIpTrNvFUHHg0u7eBo2AV7GWecp8GAFmGJGK-vMT5ANbL0MxkYaJwYr1rHtoN6GqlL08Zls3gAEgTONOvB-k1NY9o/s400/Shiraz+Iran+5+JUNE+2016.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Public hanging in Shiraz, Iran, on June 5, 2016</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Iranian authorities hanged two men in public on Sunday June 5 in Shiraz, southern Iran.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Iran Human Rights (June 6 2016): Two men were hanged in public in the city of Shiraz (province of Fars, southern Iran) early morning on Sunday June 5. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to confirmed reports, there were dozens of people watching the execution, including small children. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to a report by Iranian state-run news agency, Rokna, one of the prisoners, identified as "Mojtaba G", was executed for "committing an act of rape before attempting murder". </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The other prisoner, unidentified, was reportedly executed for "Corruption on earth". The unidentified prisoner was reportedly scheduled to be hanged in public on Thursday June 2, but his execution was reportedly postponed for a few days due to unknown reasons. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In an earlier report by Iran Human Rights, citing the state-run news agency, Mizan, the unidentified man was sentenced to death for creating an environment of instability in Shiraz by attacking the homes of residents at night and committing acts of rape.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the two weeks, there were six public executions reported in Fars, five of them were reportedly carried out in Shiraz. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to statistics gathered by Iran Human Rights, in the past several years, the province of Fars has been home to the most public executions in Iran.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Source: Iran Human Rights, June 6, 2016</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Report an error, an omission:<a href="mailto:deathpenaltynews@gmail.com" target="_blank"> deathpenaltynews@gmail.com</a></span> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span> <span style="font-size: small;"> - Follow us on <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Death-Penalty-News-206848499362906/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </b>and <b><a href="https://twitter.com/WebDPN" target="_blank">Twitter</a></b></span></div></div>

Iran Islamic Law Public hanging sharia Iran: Two Men Hanged in Public in Shiraz

Public hanging in Shiraz, Iran, on June 5, 2016 Iranian authorities hanged two men in public on Sunday June 5 in Shiraz, southern Iran. Iran...

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