(UPDATE) President Benigno Aquino has said he would look into calls for the re-imposition of the death penalty but at the same time indicated that he’s against the implementation anew of capital punishment.
MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE) President Benigno Aquino has said he would look into calls for the re-imposition of the death penalty but at the same time indicated that he’s against the implementation anew of capital punishment.
Aquino was asked the question amid renewed calls for the death penalty after a series of car-theft-related murders.
“I will have to study that, and I don’t know where the calls are emanating from but the essence here is that our judicial system, as you know, is not perfect,” Aquino said in a chance interview after addressing the Liberal Party’s 65th anniversary ceremonies.
Aquino indicated that he was once an advocate of the death penalty. He said he even had discussions on the death penalty with his mother, the late democracy icon and former President Corazon Aquino.
“At the end of the day, I used to support death penalty,” he said.
“But I really witnessed a justice that was not perfect, so I have to change my position...Since we cannot turn back the clock, if we execute somebody, then we shouldn’t, in the off chance that we might render that penalty to somebody who was not guilty,” he added.
Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, an author of a bill calling for the re-imposition of the death penalty, has again sought support for the capital punishment in the wake of car thefts that ended in the abduction and killing of car dealers.
Lawyer Oliver Lozano, the father of one of the victims of the recent killings and car thefts, also asked for the return of the death penalty.
But Aquino called for caution. “There is a possibility that people can be wrongly convicted especially if they do not have the ability to secure competent counsels. If in a perfect world, we have an efficient judicial system, then perhaps there is a room for that.”
“But when… because of your economic status you cannot get the right lawyers to help you out, then there is a possibility that you will be wrongly convicted. Then, if we are going to pass the death penalty, how do you turn back the clock if the accused is executed?” he added.
Aquino also vouched for the integrity of the Philippine National Police amid criticisms brought by the recent heinous crimes.
“Can I just add? There are so many criticisms against the PNP. But look at how many (cases) that they have been solving? And it will just take maybe a few minutes to Google search what their achievements have been,” Aquino hastened to add, before ending his interview with reporters.
The President felt optimistic that the investigation of recent crimes would be resolved soon.
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