President Rodrigo Duterte has pushed for the reimposition of the death penalty for drug-related charges as he bared 12 priority measures for Congress to work on, including bills related to the government's COVID-19 response and recovery program.
“I reiterate the swift passage of the law reviving the death penalty by lethal injection for crimes specified under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002,” the President said in his penultimate State of the Nation Address at the Batasang Pambansa on Monday.
Duterte first made a pitch for the revival of the death penalty, which was abolished in 2006, in his SONA last year.
“Drug syndicates continue to operate – just like the countries of Colombia, Mexico – and it is being played inside the national penitentiaries. Talagang binababoy tayo. This law will not only help us deter criminality but also save our children from the dangers posed by illegal and dangerous drugs,” he added.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he sees “better chances” for the revival of capital punishment even as Senator Panfilo Lacson said the measure will face “very rough sailing” in the Upper Chamber.
The bill implementing death penalty for drug-related crimes was passed by the House of Representatives in the 17th Congress, but it failed to hurdle the Senate.
The President also called on Congress to pass the Bayanihan 2 (We Recover As One) Law to boost the government's recovery plan from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The measure builds on the first Bayanihan to Heal as One Act which expired on June 24 and will “supplement funds for recovery and response against the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
The other priority measures enumerated by the President are as follows:
– the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises or CREATE Act which cuts the corporate income levy from the current 30 to 25 percent and gives government flexibility to grant a combination of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, among others;
– the Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer or FIST Act which will set up mechanisms allowing banks and other financial institutions to dispose of and transfer non-performing assets and loans to asset management companies similar to Special Purpose Vehicles;
– the National Land Use Act which will pave the way for the equitable use of national resources;
– the creation of a Department for overseas Filipino workers;
– the creation of a Department of Disaster Resilience which will pave the way for the building of an evacuation center in each local government unit;
– the creation of a National Disease Management Authority;
– the Advanced Nursing Education Act and the measure instituting a medical reserve corps;
– the creation of a Boracay Island Development Authority to build on the gains of the rehabilitation of the popular tourist destination;
– the rental subsidy bill “to allow Filipinos to live in decent homes;” and
– amendments to the Continuing Professional Development Act of 2016. “The rules are burdensome and not realistic amid pandemic. There are professions requiring them to come to Manila to re-train for another round of expenses,” the President said.