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What's next for Dylann Roof?

What's next for Dylann Roof?

Dylann Roof Charleston, South Carolina (CNN) -- Dylann Roof will be formally sentenced Wednesday after jurors recommended the death penalty ...

4:56 AM

'Philippines could go down as world's new top executioner' - Atienza

'Philippines could go down as world's new top executioner' - Atienza

"The real problem is clearly corruption," says Rep. Lito Atienza The wish of President Rodrigo Duterte to execute 5 to 6 convicts ...

9:18 AM

Philippines: A moral, ethical issue for our people

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-sjP1LRymXP7DA6y7GXHOiwI1gpD_jv2Z7bXXCk94fjdYp07j6dzT4HGlc76g4raj7lwR_fkhFsNrKuHxvm4bMXbKB9xH8YmrTNeFaZWkp_Cj519ziB93gSYWswsM1Og90T4K1J-le8/s1600/Philippines+police+officers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-sjP1LRymXP7DA6y7GXHOiwI1gpD_jv2Z7bXXCk94fjdYp07j6dzT4HGlc76g4raj7lwR_fkhFsNrKuHxvm4bMXbKB9xH8YmrTNeFaZWkp_Cj519ziB93gSYWswsM1Og90T4K1J-le8/s400/Philippines+police+officers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the ongoing discussion on the death penalty, which President Duterte wants to return so as to strengthen the rule of law, it is useful to note that the world - and the Philippines with it - has long debated this issue in the United Nations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1966, the UN General Assembly, of which the Philippines is a founding member, adopted the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) which, together with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, make up what is known as the International Bill of Human Rights. The Philippines signed the ICCPR on December 19, 1966, and ratified it on October 23, 1986.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1989, the General Assembly adopted the Second Protocol on Civil and Political Rights, calling on all states to abolish the death penalty. The Protocol was a treaty signed by 83 states, including the Philippines. The Philippines signed the Protocol on September 20, 2006, and ratified it on September 20, 2007.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In between these 2 international agreements, the Philippines became the 1st Asian country to abolish the death penalty when the nation ratified the Constitution in 1987, but Congress could reimpose it should the need arise. In 1993, such a law was passed to address the rising criminality in the country. 7 convicts were executed in 1999, followed by a moratorium in observance of the Catholic Church's "Jubilee Year." In 2003, 2 men were about to be executed when new evidence came up that exonerated the 2.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All the while, the Commission on Human Rights vehemently opposed efforts to reimpose the death penalty. It said it was not convinced that the death penalty is the answer to rising criminality. The proper response, it said, lies in effective law enforcement, quick and impartial delivery of justice, and a responsive penal system. "To mete out to criminals the very final and irrevocable and inhuman verdict of death is tantamount to punishing them for the failure of the system," it declared.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today we are again in the middle of debate on the death penalty. Right after he won the presidential election last May, President Duterte said he wanted Congress to restore the death penalty - by hanging - for convicts involved in illegal drugs, gun-for-hire syndicates, and for those who commit "heinous crimes" like rapists and robbers who kill their victims.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We are also in the middle of a nationwide anti-drug campaign in which thousands have already been killed, many allegedly for resisting arrest - moving some to ask if there is still need for a death penalty to discourage criminals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The critical debate on this issue will soon be taking place in the halls of Congress. Along with all the legal arguments and all the Philippines' commitments to the international community, the Church has also weighed in against the ancient system of "a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life." More than a legal issue, it will be a moral and ethical one which will determine what we really are as a people.</div><br />Source: tempo.com.ph, Editorial, December 30, 2016<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">⚑ | Report an error, an omission; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: <a href="mailto:deathpenaltynews@gmail.com">deathpenaltynews@gmail.com</a>.</div><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px solid rgb(255, 204, 0); color: black; text-align: center; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr>   <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WebDPN/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4sspwgGptzvuHVklum5TwxKppRN-lIC5TN8RLZFq_B4ZOtBrX1ssXPNKQ6XpSyQFRJRtVQN45HMkpt3VX0JtOW0TovwxZAurG-AV6gh98IAXo7Ip6QlpkZr9WrM3_m943Mwy-gGxBAY/s1600/Find+us+Facebook.jpg" /></a></div></td>   <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://twitter.com/WebDPN" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULIPEaT_P6oIauxAZd17XRRxljesDLS7iIjdQXT7Xct99uHeohx4IYmiAB6S044gTjMDGSy50sL2vDzOyPZ-3vJj9zwcYQ2rgzJh9v1-QDiunKAQtLLLqJ83s38qN3HABxGIC8GsIOD0/s1600/Find+us+twitter.jpg" /></a><span id="goog_1427852018"></span><span id="goog_1427852019"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div></td>  </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><b>Opposed to Capital Punishment? 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Philippines: A moral, ethical issue for our people

In the ongoing discussion on the death penalty, which President Duterte wants to return so as to strengthen the rule of law, it is useful to...

5:16 AM

Philippines: "Death penalty has no moral necessity"

Philippines: "Death penalty has no moral necessity"

President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs in the streets of Manila Representative Teddy Brawner Baguilat of the Lone District here said t...

4:46 AM

Philippines: 'Death penalty backers banking on emotions, not facts'

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEL62K-BuEp1bZPo62x1t8jI8O9YNwke0VU3JRCc8psG91jNVlCQJniAGj6urzSCfgQa1cFF3U_MGtpUibop52zVI1sqJspQ9-_XpQ6r4XjpvwZjvmecucctZY-GHl3XA_dU2zWAx-Fo/s1600/A+victim+of+summary+execution+PHILIPPINES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Philippines: Extrajudicial killings of alleged trug traffickers are soaring" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEL62K-BuEp1bZPo62x1t8jI8O9YNwke0VU3JRCc8psG91jNVlCQJniAGj6urzSCfgQa1cFF3U_MGtpUibop52zVI1sqJspQ9-_XpQ6r4XjpvwZjvmecucctZY-GHl3XA_dU2zWAx-Fo/s400/A+victim+of+summary+execution+PHILIPPINES.jpg" title="Philippines: Extrajudicial killings of alleged trug traffickers are soaring" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Philippines: Extrajudicial killings of alleged trug traffickers are soaring</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">A human rights activist said those in favor of death penalty is banking on the emotions of victims of crimes to justify the push to reinstate death penalty in the country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Speaking on ANC, Carlos Conde of Human Rights Watch said there is not enough factual evidence to show that death penalty can prevent crimes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We're still waiting for statistics for the proponents of the bill to show to us, for instance, that there's an upsurge of crime fueled by drug use, which is the usual argument by those who are pushing for this bill but we haven't seen any significant data or statistics that would convincingly show that," he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is also the reason why backers of death penalty bills are banking on people's emotions instead to gain support for their cause.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"This is why the proponents of death penalty are making this a very emotional issue, citing, for instance, cases of crime supposedly related to drug use or heinous crimes supposedly related to drug use but they haven't shown data that would support the assertion that death penalty is a deterrent to crime," Conde said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The death penalty is a highly-charged political issue that legislators and politicians often latch on to as their advocacy because it's a very popular issue. People respond to the death penalty with this very highly emotional response," he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to Conde, the death penalty is a very popular issue because of President Rodrigo Duterte.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"This push for the death penalty arises from the popularity of President Rodrigo Duterte; so as long as he's extremely popular, we expect politicians and lawmakers to follow his lead," he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Conde admitted that it will be difficult for those who are against death penalty to convince pro-death penalty lawmakers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"If there is enough groundswell of dissent against these death penalty proposals in Congress, certainly all those people who did not vote for President Duterte could make a dent in the argument against death penalty, but you know, the death penalty is not a very popular issue among advocates," he said. "It would take a lot of work, to be honest, for those against the death penalty, to sway the legislators to not push this bill," Conde added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">DETERRENCE</h3><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) spokesperson Arsenio Evangelista reiterated that the death penalty will prevent crimes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"It will deter. For us, it is the biggest weapon now for crime prevention, deterrence. When it comes to data, pro-life is saying that it is not a deterrent. It is a deterrent on a very high percentage," he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Precisely, the absence of death penalty will increase extra-judicial killings because for us, death penalty is a retribution for acts being done to victims... The certainty of death will create fear among would-be criminals," Arsenio added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last week, the proposal to reimpose the death penalty has advanced to the plenary of the Lower House, 10 years after it was abolished.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Voting 12-6-1, the House justice committee approved the committee report of the substitute bill of the bills restoring the death penalty.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The vote of the mother committee came after an earlier vote of 12-5 adopting the subcommittee report of the same.</div><br />Source: ABS-CBN news, December 14, 2016<br /><br /><h2>Drop plans to expand death penalty, bishops ask Philippines</h2><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Catholic prayer and protests greeted proposals to expand the use of the death penalty in the Philippines, with the move drawing outspoken opposition from the country's bishops.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Christ died for the criminals and the victims. The love of God is for all. Our love should be like God's love. For all," said Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan at a Dec. 12 prayer rally in San Carlos City.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We are not protesting without a solution. We are protesting with an alternative. Reform the criminal justice system," he added. "If there's a death penalty but the criminal justice system is corrupt, slow and 1-sided, rapist and plunderer, and (drug) pusher and killer will remain confident."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2006 the country abolished the death penalty for crimes involving drugs, rape and arson. Now, President Rodrigo Duterte and his supporters have sought to reinstate capital punishment for such crimes, citing rising crime rates and drug use.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWYWpnpaTO1CmdF0RbnR580AWSGiQ55jM2jnn3hD-ltSOXPpKzqJ8BQpayMGvIZxJe2cqONDnwtAydncf4Jken41KnoHm0ZkdghRSQOuquagm0FpldRmKWkPUASxi1kD9oWeyMc-eGcQw/s1600/Rodrigo+Duterte+in+Jakarta%2527s+State+Palace+9+SEPT+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="President Rodrigo Duterte" border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWYWpnpaTO1CmdF0RbnR580AWSGiQ55jM2jnn3hD-ltSOXPpKzqJ8BQpayMGvIZxJe2cqONDnwtAydncf4Jken41KnoHm0ZkdghRSQOuquagm0FpldRmKWkPUASxi1kD9oWeyMc-eGcQw/s400/Rodrigo+Duterte+in+Jakarta%2527s+State+Palace+9+SEPT+2016.jpg" title="President Rodrigo Duterte" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">President Rodrigo Duterte</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Archbishop Villegas, however, said that the courts can make mistakes, and there is no way to correct a mistake after a prisoner is executed. He said the death penalty is "a lazy form of penalty" that does not help reform "those who made mistakes."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since July 1, when the new president took office, more than 2,000 people have died in police operations against illicit drugs, Reuters reports. Those killed are mainly street level drug dealers, accused by police of resisting arrest.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the same time frame, another 3,000 people have been killed by masked men and vigilantes on motorcycles. President Duterte has denied claims of extrajudicial killings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Senators have reported that they have no clear proof the killings are linked to state-sponsored actions. They have told the president to observe due process for the accused.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cardinal Luis Tagle of Manila and the Manila archdiocese's presbyteral council urged a prayer against the death penalty to be recited at all Sunday Masses in the archdiocese Sunday Dec. 8.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Father, source and giver of life, we lift our hearts and voices to you. Help us to build a society that truly chooses life in all situations," began the prayer, with the response "Lord, heal our pain."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The prayer was on behalf of victims, perpetrators and society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"There is in our land a cry for vengeance and a move to fill up death rows and kill offenders but disguised as a call for justice," the prayer continued. "Let true and lasting justice spring forth."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The prayer petitioned that Jesus, who suffered execution at the hands of the powerful, help Christians "reach out to victims of violence so that our enduring love may help heal their wounds."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A separate proposal in the Philippines would lower the age of criminal liability to 9 years old from 12. The bishops have warned this could escalate violence related to anti-drug campaigns.</div><br />Source: Catholic News Agency, December 14, 2016<br /><br /><h2>Death penalty debate set early 2017</h2><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">House Deputy Speaker Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro yesterday said the discussions on the bill to reinstate death penalty, a priority legislative measure of President Duterte, will be moved to early next year, so that congressmen would have a thorough plenary debate.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a radio interview, Castro said he was responsible for moving back the bill's discussion on the floor because he wanted to prepare to defend it at the plenary.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Castro is one of the principal authors of House Bill No. 1, which seeks to reimpose capital punishment for heinous crimes after it was abolished by then President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We have to let people know, make them understand and study this measure because at first glance, you could say you don't want this bill because life should be respected. This is a reason that is based on one's belief in God and what they call human rights," Castro said in Filipino.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"It's funny because our people might again be misled. This is why I myself said I want to prepare for the debate because I will be the one to stand at the plenary. I will be the one to fight for this bill ... there would be very good interpellators who are now saying they have not made up their mind whether or not they would support this bill," Castro said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said the measure could be passed in the Lower House if there would be daily plenary debates on it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Castro also said he informed House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Farinas, his coauthors, that the proposal should not single out drug dealing and drug use.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Castro said if he had his way, he would add more crimes that are as heinous as the use and sale of illegal drugs to be punishable by death - crimes such as illegal recruitment, plunder, economic sabotage and human trafficking, including the ones conducted via cyberspace.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are 21 heinous crimes proposed to be punishable by death in the bill approved by the House justice committee - a number which Castro still considers "too small."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Among the "heinous crimes" included in House Bill No. 1 are treason, qualified piracy, qualified bribery, parricide, murder, infanticide, rape, kidnapping and serious illegal detention, robbery with violence, destructive arson, plunder.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It also includes dangerous drug importation, sale and trading, manufacture, possession, cultivation and unlawful prescription, misappropriating confiscated illegal drugs and planting of evidence by public officers, and car theft.</div><br />Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net, December 14, 2016<br /><br /><h2>Ifugao solon joins anti death penalty law advocates</h2><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Representative Teddy Brawner Baguilat has urged the public to add their voice to the growing chorus calling for a stop to hasty moves in Congress to reimpose the death penalty.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Commission on Human Rights as well as the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines have already taken a firm stance against the death penalty with the CBCP saying that the abolition of the death penalty by the 1986 Constitution was "a very big step towards a practical recognition of the dignity of every human being created to the image and likeness of God, and the value of human life from its conception to its natural end."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Baguilat added reimposing the death penalty would mean a backward step without moral necessity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Indeed the Constitution says that there must be a compelling reason to reimpose the death penalty and there is none today," said Baguilat, a member of the legitimate opposition bloc in Congress known as the "Magnificent 7".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Ifugao solon reiterated his stand as the House majority led by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez remained resolute in its stance to immediately pass a law that will bring back the death penalty, ostensibly as part of the campaign against illegal drugs and criminality. Baguilat had said the plan to railroad the passage of the death penalty was a grave cause for concern considering that it had already been established that having a death penalty would not deter the proliferation of crime. "It is not a deterrent. There is no reliable and credible data to show that it is," said Baguilat. "That is why I am again appealing to my colleagues in Congress to not rush into passing such a bill and instead allow extensive and intelligent discussion."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Cordilleran lawmaker also said the better move is to strengthen the justice system to make sure that justice is served quickly and that the real criminals will go to jail.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"As it is, everybody is saying that the justice system is flawed. That means what we need is more reform to avoid wrongful convictions. Without reforms, what will happen is that the poor will again bear the consequence of the weakness and inconsistency in the application of the criminal justice system. We need to strengthen that first to make a more lasting impact on criminality. I have never believed in legislating this ultimate retribution," Baguilat said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Capital punishment was last suspended in 2006 by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. At that time, Congress was overwhelmingly supportive of the tenet that life has value. President Duterte, however, has consistently said that he wanted it back as part of the package of measures to supposedly stop the proliferation of drugs and criminality.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"I have always said that I am supportive of the President's campaign against drugs and criminality. But there is the right way to do it and reimposing the death penalty, which will violate our international commitments, is not the right way," said Baguilat.</div><br />Source: sunstar.com.ph, December 14, 2016<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">⚑ | Report an error, an omission; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: <a href="mailto:deathpenaltynews@gmail.com">deathpenaltynews@gmail.com</a>.</div><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px solid rgb(255, 204, 0); color: black; text-align: center; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr>   <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WebDPN/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4sspwgGptzvuHVklum5TwxKppRN-lIC5TN8RLZFq_B4ZOtBrX1ssXPNKQ6XpSyQFRJRtVQN45HMkpt3VX0JtOW0TovwxZAurG-AV6gh98IAXo7Ip6QlpkZr9WrM3_m943Mwy-gGxBAY/s1600/Find+us+Facebook.jpg" /></a></div></td>   <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://twitter.com/WebDPN" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULIPEaT_P6oIauxAZd17XRRxljesDLS7iIjdQXT7Xct99uHeohx4IYmiAB6S044gTjMDGSy50sL2vDzOyPZ-3vJj9zwcYQ2rgzJh9v1-QDiunKAQtLLLqJ83s38qN3HABxGIC8GsIOD0/s1600/Find+us+twitter.jpg" /></a><span id="goog_1427852018"></span><span id="goog_1427852019"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div></td>  </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><b>Opposed to Capital Punishment? 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Philippines: 'Death penalty backers banking on emotions, not facts'

Philippines: Extrajudicial killings of alleged trug traffickers are soaring A human rights activist said those in favor of death penalty is ...

2:18 AM

Indonesian Bishops call on Government for a moratorium on death penalty

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRzJcmnVZiSumu0b0ZTNqHwJ35QgtHBHgaziQsOJKl2wjefIopWHv12F-Kqsoh0ymCdgnjBXOvb3lgoRwHCKekcCHcqQD0aHSOTPMz3Q9PKNJUp588DebXy9NanR8vHDQDFfVq2HarEM/s1600/Indonesia+bullet-ridden+flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRzJcmnVZiSumu0b0ZTNqHwJ35QgtHBHgaziQsOJKl2wjefIopWHv12F-Kqsoh0ymCdgnjBXOvb3lgoRwHCKekcCHcqQD0aHSOTPMz3Q9PKNJUp588DebXy9NanR8vHDQDFfVq2HarEM/s400/Indonesia+bullet-ridden+flag.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Indonesian Bishops have officially asked the government for a moratorium on the death penalty. As reported to Fides by Fr. Paulus Christian Siswantoko, executive secretary of the Commission for Justice, Peace and Pastoral Care of Migrants of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Indonesia, the letter sent to the executive states that "it is appropriate for the government to carefully assess the implementation of the death penalty in order to know the impact of capital punishment, and to ensure that executions have actually had the deterrent effects, discouraging crime". In an interview with Agenzia Fides, Fr. Siswantoko reiterated that the Catholic Church has repeatedly asked for a moratorium "but so far the government has not listened to the voices who reject capital punishment".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At a recent conference on the theme "Right to life and the death penalty in the theology of religions", Fr. Siswantoko said that "the Catholic Church still harbors hopes for a moratorium on the death penalty", citing religious but also civilian reasons.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In fact, according to the priest, Catholics reject the death penalty for the fundamental respect for life, as explained by the encyclical Evangelium Vitae of 1995, of Pope John Paul II. On the other hand "the death penalty is contrary to the Pancasila (the paper of the five underlying principles of the state, ed) and to the Indonesian Constitution, claiming the protection of life and fundamental human rights". "It was later shown that the death penalty does not reduce crime", he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since 2015 dozens of prisoners for drug offenses have been executed in Indonesia: "Has there been a significant impact and real deterrent effects?" asked the priest, noting that the spread and drug trafficking is a phenomenon at a national and international level.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Among the other speakers who intervened, Gomar Gultom, representative of the "Communion of Churches in Indonesia" confirmed the vision that "the death penalty has no deterrent effect and it is not an ethical tool". </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Muslim professor Siti Musdah Mulia, at the Islamic University "Syarif Hidayatullah" and secretary general of the Indonesian Conference on "Religions for Peace" recalled that Islam teaches human respect and protection from acts of discrimination, exploitation and violence. "The death penalty is inconsistent with religious teachings and faiths that revere the importance of life, preserving it as the greatest blessing of God the Creator. Islam teaches the dignity of human beings, defining them as the most perfect creatures of God. The death penalty is an affront to the greatness and omnipotence of God. "Finally, he said, "the death penalty is inconsistent with the values of democracy and the principles of human rights".</div><br />Source: Fides News Agency, December 14, 2016<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">⚑ | Report an error, an omission; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: <a href="mailto:deathpenaltynews@gmail.com">deathpenaltynews@gmail.com</a>.</div><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px solid rgb(255, 204, 0); color: black; text-align: center; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr>   <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WebDPN/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4sspwgGptzvuHVklum5TwxKppRN-lIC5TN8RLZFq_B4ZOtBrX1ssXPNKQ6XpSyQFRJRtVQN45HMkpt3VX0JtOW0TovwxZAurG-AV6gh98IAXo7Ip6QlpkZr9WrM3_m943Mwy-gGxBAY/s1600/Find+us+Facebook.jpg" /></a></div></td>   <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://twitter.com/WebDPN" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULIPEaT_P6oIauxAZd17XRRxljesDLS7iIjdQXT7Xct99uHeohx4IYmiAB6S044gTjMDGSy50sL2vDzOyPZ-3vJj9zwcYQ2rgzJh9v1-QDiunKAQtLLLqJ83s38qN3HABxGIC8GsIOD0/s1600/Find+us+twitter.jpg" /></a><span id="goog_1427852018"></span><span id="goog_1427852019"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div></td>  </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><b>Opposed to Capital Punishment? 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Indonesian Bishops call on Government for a moratorium on death penalty

The Indonesian Bishops have officially asked the government for a moratorium on the death penalty. As reported to Fides by Fr. Paulus Christ...

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Indonesian Bishops call on Government for a moratorium on death penalty

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