THE European Union, which has long been campaigning for the Philippines to abolish the death penalty, has advanced a new argument: should government do so, it will send a strong message to Arab countries to reconsider capital punishment imposed on convicted Filipino workers.
“Removal of the death penalty here will send out a strong message to the international community and give more justification to demand freedom of convicted OFWs,” said Austrian ambassador to the Philippines Herbert Jaeger in Wednesday’s forum on death penalty held by the Delegation of the European Commission in the Philippines.
He said a restorative justice viewpoint and reforms in the police and criminal justice systems are the better ways to deter crimes and not death penalty, which had been shown in several studies not to reduce crimes at all.
Jaeger said the more crime-deterrent way is “swift arrest and speedy prosecution” and not death penalty. “[Citizens] want a speedy and effective justice system and they rely on the state to provide this. Being against the death penalty does not mean advocating impunity of committed crimes.”
In the past, the EU had consistently called on Congress to abolish capital punishment and this year, to ensure the passage of House Bill 4826, which abolishes the Death Penalty Law, before Congress goes on recess June 10.
Aksyon Demokratiko Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay said the bill could be passed in the House in two weeks. It will then be transmitted to Senate.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has lodged appeals to save 24 Filipino workers condemned to death in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. Their offenses range from murder to drug cases.
President Arroyo on Wednesday certified as urgent the immediate enactment of Senate Bill 2254 which seeks to abolish the death penalty.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the President sent a letter to Senate President Franklin Drilon “certifying the necessity of the immediate enactment of Senate Bill 2254 under Committee Report 73 entitled, “An Act Abolishing the Death Penalty.” E. Torres, M. Gonzalez
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/0601/sfp03.php
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