Cover image via NDBC News
What is death penalty?
According to [Encyclopedia Britannica] (http://deathpenalty.procon.org/view.source.php?sourceID=005437), "The term death penalty (sometimes interchangeable with capital punishment) is not always followed by execution, because of the possibility of commutation to life imprisonment."
Flashback to the Spanish colonization in the Philippines between 1521 to 1898, the execution methods were by garrotte, hanging, and firing squad — bearing in remembrance the example of Jose Rizal's execution by firing squad in 30 December 1896. The electric chair was introduced by the United States in the country in 1926.
Image via Amnesty International
It was in 2006 when former president Gloria Arroyo signed a law abolishing the death penalty
But two months before she signed the law, it was on 15 April 2006 when the sentences of 1,230 death row inmates were commuted to life imprisonment and was labeled by [Amnesty International] (https://www.amnesty.org) as the "largest ever commutation of death sentences".
"Mrs Arroyo has been under pressure from the influential Roman Catholic church to scrap capital punishment. The signing comes as she prepares to head to Rome for an audience with Pope Benedict XVI," as reported by [BBC News] (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5112696.stm).
Image via Getty Images
In 2014, President Benigno Aquino III was hesitant to bring back death penalty
Image via Philippines Daily
Aquino doesn't believe that the death penalty will deter criminals. "Siguro at the most, at this point in time, pag may death sentence iyong na-convict at tunay na kriminal, iyon lang ang natanggal natin sa pagkakataon na magkaroon o gumawa ng krimen. Pero iyong deterrence palagay ko hindi yon ang kaisa-isang solusyon para sa deterrence. Mas deterrence siguro iyong katiyakan na makukulong ka o mahuhuli ka pag may ginawa kang krimen at iyon ang puspusan nating ginagawa," said Aquino, according to [Rappler] (http://www.rappler.com/nation/49180-aquino-hesitant-bring-back-death-penalty).
Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto thinks otherwise
Rappler reported last 2014 that Sotto sought the revival of Republic Act 7659 or the [Death Penalty Law] (http://www.chanrobles.com/republicactno7659.htm). "I'm pushing for the death penalty for high-scale drug trafficking so that we're not treated like a playground. We're called a playground of drug traffickers. They can't do it in Singapore or Malaysia or China because they'll get killed. In the Philippines, they will be jailed in Bilibid with no air-conditioner but there's a refrigerator, a television and other things," said Sotto, according to [Rappler] (http://www.rappler.com/nation/49180-aquino-hesitant-bring-back-death-penalty).
The former Managing Editor of Philippine Star, Tony Katigbak, also thinks that death penalty should be revived. He wrote in his [article] (http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2015/05/13/1454149/death-penalty-should-be-revived) last May 2015 this exact statement: "In the past, criminals that were found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of heinous crimes were sentenced to death by electric chair. And I feel that if this measure were once again available in our judicial system then perhaps criminals would have something to fear…[criminals] are not afraid of facing consequences. They always feel that they will get away with it. Perhaps a harder stance on crime is required in order to make real change."
But today, Miriam Santiago told the media that she wants to re-impose death penalty
Because of the rampant criminality in the streets and thievery in the government, the presidential candidate now sees the crucial importance of death penalty. She told the Philippine Star that she was actually against it before. "But today, *yung mga ginagawa ng mga kababayan natin, eh makakapatay ka talaga eh* (With what our countrymen are doing, you would really want to kill). Yes, I'm seriously reconsidering my previous decision. Before the arguments were very clear-cut and I felt I had no choice because of the lobby of the Catholic Church perhaps," said Santiago, according to the [Philippine Star] (http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/05/03/1579321/miriam-wants-death-penalty-re-imposed).
Image via Philippine Star
Which countries support death penalty?
Image via Wikipedia
As of July 2015, of the 195 independent states that are UN members or have UN observer status: 102 have abolished it for all crimes; 6 have abolished it, but retain it for exceptional or special circumstances (such as crimes committed in wartime); 51 retain it, but have not used it for at least 10 years or are under a moratorium; 36 retain it in both law and practice, according to [Wikipedia] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_by_country#Capital_punishment_by_continents).
