THE Dagupan City Council approved last week the resolution opting to reject the death penalty bill now pending in the House of Representatives, voting further to make the decision forwarded to Fourth District Congressman Christopher “Toff” De Venecia.

The body adopted the resolution proposed by Councilor Luis Samson Jr., seconded by Liga ng mga Barangay president Lino Fernandez over the objection of Councilor Jose Netu Tamayo.

“We all know that the Philippines is a co-signatory to international human rights treaties and the right to life as well as the universal declaration of human rights is the center of all these international treaties,” Samson said.

He said there is no credible evidence or recognized research that shows death penalty could deter heinous crimes, including related offenses, as argued by many death penalty proponents.

Councilor Jose Neto Tamayo, a trial lawyer, disagreed vehemently and maintained that death penalty is now accepted worldwide as a strong deterrent to th commission of heinous crimes.

Death penalty is now in effect in advanced countries like the United States, United Kingdom, China and apan, he added.

“More advanced countries take death penalty as an accepted form of retribution against those who committed heinous crimes and who no longer deserve to live because of the gravity and extent of the crimes they had committed.,” Tamayo said.

He cited the 1987 Constitution framed and adopted under the administration of then President Corazon C. Aquino that determined that death penalty was acceptable as penalty against those who committed heinous crimes, like rape, multiple murder and others.

Tamayo further argued that death penalty must be enforced to help end extra-judicial killings, contending that extra-judicial killings happen because families of victims no longer trust the courts.

While Samson refused to debate with Tamayo on the issues the latter raised but conceded that death penalty shall be imposed only for some compelling reasons if the crime committed is heinous.

Samson explained that his resolution is just a mere expression of sentiment even as he acknowledged that Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, a known anti-death penalty advocate, has asked for the city’s support.

“Anyway, it is up to our good Congressman Christopher de Venecia to decided on how he will vote in Congress,” Samson said.

The Dagupan City council was not the first one that asked Rep. De Venecia to reject the death penalty bill. The first was the Mangaldan town council but the voting was not unanimous: five in favor, four against. (Leonardo Micua)

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