Cover image via The Mail
Senator Richard Gordon presided the hearing for the extrajudicial killings issue and for the case of the two MMDA constable accused of pangongotong (corruption) at the Congress today
Image via PhilStar
Senator Manny Pacquiao took the chance to remind the court that [he is pro-death penalty] (http://says.com/ph/news/manny-pacquiao-addressed-the-senate-to-revive-death-penalty) and even compared it to his mother's big pamalo (beater)
Pacquiao shared his earliest memories about his great fears for his mother's *pamalo*. He thinks that instilling that fear would discipline the drug traffickers and drug pushers in the country.
Gordon has also opened the court to discuss the corruption case of two MMDA constable
For Gordon, the case should be discussed as soon as possible because he doesn't want to give the Filipinos a chance to say that "there is no rule of law." "*Mabagal lang kung minsan ang batas*," added Gordon.
When he addressed who among the MMDA officers in the court has had a case in the past, almost all of them raised their hands:
Gordon added that the Internal Affairs Service of Philippine National Police (IAS) is a way upon which the court can gauge the performance of police forces to defend the public correctly
Senator [Leila de Lima] (http://says.com/ph/news/breaking-de-lima-ousted-as-chairman-of-the-senate-committee-on-justice-and-human-rights) who is also against death penalty shared her view on the extrajudicial killings issue and stating that "killing is definitely the last resort"
Image via Screencap via DZMM Livestream
**Overview:** [De Lima] (http://says.com/ph/news/duterte-called-de-lima-an-immoral-woman-and-she-s-not-having-any-of-it) doesn't believe that death penalty is the solution to criminality. She'd rather look into the enforcement of Philippine laws and the due administration of the criminal justice system.
[De Lima] (http://says.com/ph/news/de-lima-receives-p3-million-as-alleged-protector-of-drug-lords-said-colangco) stated this in 2012: "**As a human rights advocate, I've always been against the reimposition of the death penalty. My current role as Secretary of Justice does not at all change my position on the issue.**"
Gordon: I am against death penalty
Although Gordon has clearly stated that he is against the reimplementation of death penalty, he commended Pacquiao for his wise and commonsensical speech about the discipline that the penalty would create an atmosphere of fear for the criminals.
**Overview:** For the [chairman of the Philippine Red Cross] (http://says.com/ph/news/dick-gordon-pays-tribute-to-red-cross-volunteer-who-died-in-davao-bombing) since 1986, the reimposition of the death penalty would only promote injustice since the Philippine society tends to put the blame on people but never try to provide real solutions to the problems. He believes that the nation's police forces "are lawful in terms of their investigative capabilities".
In 2010, Gordon stated this: "I do not favor the re-imposition of the death penalty principally because… If we put in the death penalty there will be more injustice because this is a society prone to injustice primarily because we always try to put the blame but we never solve the problem in terms of trying to get real solutions to create a balance in the society."
Image via Rappler
