Claiming most crimes committed are drug related, Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao advocated the return of the death penalty. On Monday, the eight -division Filipino boxing champion delivered his maiden speech on the Senate floor, sparking a lively debate on the issue between pro-life advocates and those who see capital punishment as the answer to the surging criminality.
Citing the Biblical basis for the death penalty, Manny Pacquiao wants drug pushers executed either by hanging or firing squad.
Pacquiao pointed out the illegal drug trade proliferated in the country because of the big money involved. From being a transshipment point, the Philippines has become a hub for Chinese crime syndicates to manufacture shabu here. This, plus the connivance of police and local officials, has made the drug menace widespread in the entire country. In a list released by President Duterte, police and local officials abetted the illegal trade by being the protector of the drug lords. “Narcops” is a new word coined for policemen protecting drug pushers.
Considering the number of suspects killed—more than 400—since Duterte launched his all-out war against drug trafficking, we might as well bring back the death penalty. At least, due process might still be observed rather than having the police as judge and executioner.
The manner in which many suspects are shot dead by the police bears the usual they-resisted-and-fired-at-us narrative by law enforcers. Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno warned that these warrantless arrests and summary killings would render useless a judge trying a drug case. The United Nations has also expressed its concern that vigilante justice is being carried out by the Duterte administration.
Pacquiao, a neophyte Senator, was able to parry off the interpellations from Senators Gregorio Honasan and Riza Hontiveros. I, for one, support Pacquiao’s advocacy to return the death penalty if that is the only way to instill the fear of God against those committing heinous crimes. I have friends who are staunch pro-life advocates; they will no doubt differ with my position on this issue.
But it’s time to return the death penalty in this country. China and Indonesia (which has a Filipino, Mary Jane Veloso, in death row for alleged drug trafficking) are no less state for their capital punishment policy. Some states in the US like Texas, Oklahoma and Florida, to name a few, have death penalty.
Passport price increase
Passport applicants are in uproar over the increased price of the important document from P700 to P1,200. They are already complaining over the compulsory inclusion of the travel tax in the price of plane tickets plus the airport terminal fee which has not resulted in any significant improvement in the country’s major gateways.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. claimed that Aquino administration allowed the original fee of P650 per passport raised to P850 a booklet. Presumably, some people in the DFA or the Office of the President made money. A Senate investigation into this matter should be conducted and the officials concerned in the printing of passports summoned to the inquiry.
It would be all right if the funds from the price increase went into the DFA coffers.The money earned could go into the repainting of the department’s main building on Roxas. Boulevard. The edifice with its grimy exterior could certainly use a new paint job. It has not been repainted since the Asian Development Bank moved to Ortigas and turned over the building to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Filipinos departing for overseas work are the most vocal against the passport fee increase. They gripe that they have yet to earn when departing for their first trip abroad but are already burdened by this onerous increase. They said an increase from P700 to P900 would have been acceptable. But the increase of P500 per booklet is just too much for a passport with a validity of only five years. There is a proposal to extend the Philippine passport’s validity to seven years. Doing this would shorten the line of applicants at the DFA consular office. The downside, however, would lessen the DFA revenue from the thousands of travelers going abroad either for work or pleasure.
The US passport has a validity of 10 years and can be secured at local post offices aside from the Department of State passport division.. All an applicant has to bring to show he or she is US- born is the original birth certificate.. But this procedure certainly cannot be entrusted to our local post office personnel. Too often, mail and parcels from abroad are pilfered by post office workers.