By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos | Philippine News Agency
Malacañang said Wednesday that the reimposition of the death penalty amid concerns over rampant corruption in government requires careful study.
In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has yet to state his position on calls to revive the death penalty as a deterrent against corruption.
“Pero siyempre sa pag-aaral po kung ito po ay ipapataw muli at mawawala ang suspension or lifting ng pag-suspend ng death penalty, pag-impose ng death penalty,” Castro said when asked if Marcos is considering the possible revival of the death penalty.
“Dapat pong aralin ito dahil hindi lamang po ito bigla-biglang sinasabi na dapat nandiyan na ang death penalty. Inaaral (dapat) nang mabuti,” she added.
Calls to reimpose the death penalty, particularly for plunder, have emerged following revelations of alleged irregularities in the implementation of flood control projects.
Castro, however, emphasized the need to exercise caution, saying it would be unfortunate if an innocent person were implicated in crimes he or she did not commit.
She said the five pillars of the country’s justice system should also be “clean, good, and proper.”
“Hindi po tayo puwede na umasa at maimpluwensiyahan, dapat mawala sa impluwensiya ng mga Pilipino ‘yung mga nakaraang pangyayari kung saan may nag-admit na sila ay sanay gumawa ng intriga at magplanta ng ebidensiya,” she said.
“Paano kung ang inosente ay nagawan ng intriga at naplantahan ng ebidensiya, death penalty ang maaaring ipataw. Kawawa naman po iyong masasabi nating inosente. So, ang muling pagpapataw ng death penalty ay dapat inaaral nang malaliman.”
The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), the fact-finding body established by Marcos, is currently conducting an extensive investigation into the anomalous flood control projects.
