[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Jan. 22




UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:

Death penalty for Obaida killer upheld by Dubai appeals court


The death sentence for the man who kidnapped, raped and murdered 8-year-old 
Obaida Al Aqrabawi has been upheld by Dubai Court of Appeal.

The boy's mother was in court on Sunday morning eager to hear the outcome of 
the killer's appeal. When it was announced at 11am, she let out a sigh of 
relief as female friends and family hugged her.

Nidal Ali, 48, from Jordan, walked into the courtroom after the judge gave the 
verdict. He asked the guards: "What, what?"

"Death, death," one guard answered.

Ali kidnapped Obaida, a Jordanian, on May 20 last year while the boy was 
playing outside his father's garage in a Sharjah industrial area. His body was 
found 2 days later in Al Warqa, Dubai.

Ali admitted to drinking excessive amounts of alcohol that day and strangling 
the boy, but denied sexual assault and kidnapping, saying the boy went 
willingly into his car.

A psychological evaluation ruled out any mental illness, as was claimed by the 
defence, and stated the killer was aware of his actions at the time of the 
murder.

The report said the patient "suffers from antisocial personality disorder and 
alcohol dependence, but it does not affect his perception nor does it hinder 
his ability to distinguish [right from wrong]. He is fully aware and 
responsible for his actions".

"The killer was admitted to Rashid Hospital's psychiatric section, where he was 
examined by a medical committee for a week," the report said. "He also 
underwent a personality test by psychiatrists and their clinical diagnosis was 
consistent with the committee's findings."

Results of a CT scan on the rapist were normal, as were the results of an 
electroencephalogram, which showed no signs of any epilepsy.

Ali was sentenced to death by Dubai Criminal Court on August 15. He was also 
found guilty of drinking alcohol without a licence and driving under the 
influence.

In response to statements from the defence, Dubai Attorney General Essam Al 
Humaidan tweeted he would not rest until the death penalty was brought against 
Ali.

The case will be referred to the Court of Cassation. If it is upheld it will be 
referred to the Dubai Ruler or the President to approve the execution and set a 
date.

(source: The National)






GRENADA:

Sir Nicholas Brathwaite: Grenada's Best Prime Minister


I was deeply saddened by the death of Sir Nicholas Brathwaite (Sir Nick) in 
November 2016 and that he died in virtual obscurity, ignored by the leadership 
of his party, the NDC, and a man with a broken heart for Grenada which he loved 
and served so well. I have worked as an Economist and Civil Servant for every 
Prime Minister (PM) of Grenada from Sir Eric Mathew Gairy to Dr Keith Claudius 
Mitchell and also served OECS and CARICOM PM's as the Director of Economic 
Affairs of the OECS Secretariat in Antigua from 1988-1992. In 1992 after 
returning to Canada from the OECS, I received a phone call from PM, Nicholas 
Braithwaite requesting me to serve as his Economic Advisor for three years, a 
period he indicated that would be challenging for his administration and 
Grenada's economy - a request I could not refuse. I returned to Grenada as his 
Economic Adviser and was appointed Permanent Secretary and Director General 
Ministry of Finance with the specific responsibility for implementing the 
Grenada Structural Adjustment Program (SAP). Working closely with him in these 
capacities of advisor and civil servant, engendered a personal friendship and 
respect and admiration for his performance as a PM. Sir Nick was the best Prime 
Minister Grenada ever had and this is my tribute to him and his family.

Sir Nick was an educator, a bureaucrat and a great humanist - a kind and gentle 
man, with a great love for people. He became a reluctant politician when he was 
appointed in 1983 [after the US invasion and the overthrow of the Peoples 
Revolutionary Government (PRG)] he was appointed by the Governor-General, Sir 
Paul Scoon, Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Interim Government, 
consisting of 12 unelected prominent Grenadians ministers and officials. His 
main objective was to restore democracy as quickly as possible and to 
demonstrate good governance and economic management which he hoped would serve 
as a model for elected governments when democracy was restored - an objective 
which was accomplished in one year. When he became PM in 1990, he provided good 
governance during a difficult economic period when Grenada was struggling for 
economic survival. However, largely rumoured riffs in the Cabinet resulted in 
giving the popular impression that he was a weak and insecure PM - Grenadians 
snidely conferred on him the nick name "Ah don know." That poor reputation flew 
in the face of the fact that Sir Nick led and controlled his cabinet, gave his 
ministers a free hand to run their ministries, and made some of the most 
difficult and gutsiest decisions affecting Grenada's history, decisions that 
are resonant in Grenada today. There are 3 decisions that I hope will 
demonstrate that Sir Nick was the best PM of Grenada. These are: 1) restoring 
the Constitution in 1991; 2) the commutation of the death sentences of the 14 
convicted of the murder of PM Maurice Bishop and associates in 1991; and 3) 
implementing the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) 1993-1995.

1. The Restoration of the Constitution,1991: Dr Francis Alexis, the Attorney 
General during Sir Nick's NDC government, in his tribute on his death in 
Grenada Broadcasts entitled: "Sir Nichols Brathwaite Took Grenada Through A 
Most Seminal Period: The Restoration Of Its Constitution," pointed out that Sir 
Nick successfully returned Grenada to full constitutional rule in August 15, 
1991, after the Constitution had been revolutionarily suspended in March 1979, 
that should earn him a lasting legacy in the annals of the constitutional 
development of Grenada. He described him as a highly principled democrat, one 
who respected the independence of the judiciary, the rule of law human rights - 
a man with a progressive social conscience recalling that it was under Sir Nick 
that legal discrimination against children born out of marriage was abolished, 
failing modestly to mention that this was his "brain child" that Sir Nick and 
the Cabinet supported. It is significant however that he did not mention Sir 
Nick's position or support for the recent Constitutional Referendum of 2016. 
However, Sir Nick and I had discussed the constitutional issue over the many 
years that Grenadians were asked to participate in the process leading to the 
Referendum. Towards the end he had misgivings since the process had been 
kidnapped by the current government designed to suit its interests. However, he 
was not against constitutional change and supported amending the existing 
Independence Constitution as some countries had done e.g., India and South 
Africa, but not replacing it with a new one. He therefore thought that the 
choices for the Referendum for Grenadians were either for: a) a new 
constitution; or b) amending the existing Constitution (his preferred option). 
I think that Sir Nick would have been pleased with the decision of the 
Grenadians to reject the new constitution for a Republic that had been 
proposed, including changing the name of the state to Grenada, Carriacou and 
Petit Martinique - I don't think that Grenadians were made to realize the 
negative political, economic and international implications of such a name 
change and some of the other proposed changes. However, the long process came 
up with a lot of amendments that could be made to the Constitution that would 
strengthen and protect civil rights of all Grenadians, curtail the excessive 
power of Prime Ministers and limit them to 2 terms in office, allow for 
proportional representation, which would improve and enhance good governance in 
Grenada in the future. This could be the most fitting legacy of Sir Nicholas 
Brathwaite to Grenada.

2. Commuting the Death Sentences 1991: I was in Antigua with the OECS when the 
carrying out of the death sentences on the 14 convicted for the murder of PM 
Maurice Bishop and others became an item on the Agenda at the OECS Heads of 
Authority (PM's) meeting. The OECS Authority - particularly PM's Eugenia 
Charles of Dominica, James Mitchell, of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and John 
Compton of St.Lucia - had solicited US President Reagan, rather than the UK, 
Margaret Thatcher, to mount the US invasion of 1993 that toppled the 
Revolutionary Council of the PRG and played an active role in the 
reestablishment of democracy afterwards. As a result, these 3 PM's were 
considered authorities on Grenada in the OECS, often commandeering more 
deference and attention than Grenada's PM Herbert Blaize at OECS meetings. As a 
Grenadian, although Mr. Blaize was indomitable in 'holding his ground', I found 
this troubling and was concerned about this. My concern became a reality at the 
1991 meeting when the OECS advice to PM Nicholas Brathwaite on the executions 
was discussed and formulated - a meeting that he was not in attendance. This 
was because I could not support hanging 14 Grenadians in a population of less 
than a 100,000, but also because I was against the death penalty and had 
admired PM Mulroney for abolishing it in Canada despite popular support for the 
death penalty on the grounds that he was taking the country to a higher level 
of civility, a position that I hoped Sir Nick would take in Grenada. However, 
after a heated and often emotional session, the essence OECS Authority's advice 
(perhaps a masterpiece of wisdom and diplomacy) was: In light of international 
pressure on the Grenada Government and the OECS for clemency coming from the 
Pope, Amnesty International, other nations and from people all over the world, 
only a portion of the condemned, at least 3, should be executed (it was 
suggested at the meeting that of the 3 Bernard Coard and his wife Phyllis 
should be hung first), and the sentences of the others commuted to life in 
prison.

I called Sir Nick from my home the Friday evening of the meeting and briefed 
him on the discussions leading up to the OECS communique that he would receive 
and my opposition to it and my position that no one should hang in Grenada. I 
added, "PM, the hanging of some of those convicted and the sparing of others 
would forever fester in Grenadian society. Whether you hang 3 or 5 how do you 
determine who to hang and who to spare - by casting lots or playing God?" I 
asked. I was particularly incensed that Phyllis Coard was singled out for 
hanging even though I was aware that Grenadians viewed her as a Jamaican 'lady 
Macbeth' who led her husband astray. Sir Nick said he agreed with my position 
but he was having difficulties in getting his Cabinet to support it especially 
since 99% of Grenadians supported the death penalty for all 14 - "only Joan 
Purcell (a Cabinet Minister) supports me, not even Pansy (his beloved wife) 
supports me on this." I commiserated with him about the agony that he was 
suffering. On the Monday evening, I heard on the news that the PM of Grenada 
had commuted the death sentences of those convicted. This decision, 
demonstrated that Nicholas Brathwaite was a brave and principled PM who by this 
decision effectively abolished the death penalty in Grenada - though still not 
taken off the books no one had been hung in Grenada since - and enhanced the 
international reputation of Grenada as a modern liberal and progressive Small 
Island democratic state.

3. Implementing the SAP 1993-1995: It was also while I was in Antigua that the 
World Bank/IMF dissatisfaction with Grenada became an OECS issue. The 
Government of PM Herbert Blaize, in which Keith Mitchell was a Cabinet 
Minister, had a poor record of economic management and had amassed an 
unsustainable debt resulting in Grenada's loss of its credit worthy status that 
threatened its prospects for economic growth. As a result the World Bank/IMF 
advocated measures to remedy the situation such as: fiscal reform involving the 
reintroduction of income taxes in combination with a value added tax, 
administrative reform and reduction in the size of the Civil Service, 
essentially the major elements of the World Bank/IMF SAP. These measures PM 
Blaize considered 'Draconian' and resisted implementing that continued after 
his death in office in December 1989 by his successor PM Ben Jones. In 1990 
Nicholas Braithwaite became PM. and Mr. George Brizan, Minister of Finance and 
therefore the Minister responsible for dealing with the World Bank/IMF. By this 
time, the World Bank/IMF was insisting that Grenada should pursue a SAP or be 
declared a "failed state" or Pariah, a declaration with adverse economic 
implications not only for Grenada but for all OECS States. As a result, the 
OECS decided to shield and support Grenada at the annual meeting of the World 
Bank/IMF in Washington in 1991 and a meeting of OECS PM's with Mr. Brizan was 
held in my office to discuss this support and advise him on a strategy and 
stance for the meeting. At the World Bank/IMF meeting, Mr. Brizan indicated 
Grenada's resolution to implement a SAP but would develop its own program 
utilizing Caribbean expertise from the OECS, the ECCB, CDB, UWI and the 
Ministry of Finance. This was accepted by the World Bank/IMF on condition that 
it conformed to the main measures and objectives of their SAP. Mr. Brizan's 
accolade and fame for his role as the originator of the "home grown program" is 
well deserved. However, the implementer and hero of the SAP was Sir Nick who 
received few accolades for this in Grenada.

I played a major role in the implementation of the SAP when I returned to 
Grenada in 1992. As Sir Nick's economic advisor I participated in the planning 
and formulation phase of the SAP by liaising with the Ministry of Finance, with 
Sir Dwight Venner, Governor of the ECCB (now deceased) and with the research 
team of regional and Grenadian economists. It became apparent that implementing 
the SAP required the political clout and authority of the PM and Sir Nick was 
so advised. He acted promptly on it by: including Finance in his portfolio in a 
cabinet shuffle and transferring George Brizan to the Ministry of Agriculture; 
appointing me Permanent Secretary and Director General, Ministry of Finance 
with the responsibility for implementing the SAP; and establishing a regional 
Steering and Monitoring Committee for the SAP headed by Mr.Venner and including 
in its membership the eminent developmental economist Mr. Willy Demas from 
Trinidad and Tobago and also officials from the World Bank/IMF, CIDA, to which 
I reported quarterly on the performance of the SAP. However, Sir Nick had the 
most difficult and challenging role of getting Cabinet support of the SAP and 
for selling the program to the people of Grenada, particularly since the 
economic scenario for the SAP was negative growth and increased unemployment 
for most of the 3 year period. This was no mean feat since to the NDC Party and 
Cabinet members implementing the SAP was committing political 'hari kari' which 
turned out to be the case. In the 1995 election, the NNP under Dr. Keith 
Mitchell came into power; its success in the polls mainly due to its opposition 
and criticisms of the SAP.

The SAP brought about significant structural changes in the economy and 
established a firm foundation for growth in Grenada's economy, one that the 
Mitchell administration was able to benefit from for 13 years. The most 
significant accomplishments of the SAP were: 1) Once Grenada attained the first 
year goals of the Program, the World Bank/IMF reinstated its credit worthy 
status and assisted in the next 2 years of the Program in the securing 
financial support internationally mainly from the EU, and other Governments and 
institutions; 2) Fiscal reform by establishing a modern tax system based on 
indirect and direct(income tax) taxation including administrative reform of the 
Civil Service; 3) Improving the infrastructure including the privatisation of 
GRENLEC. Unfortunately, the Keith Mitchell's NNP Government, on taking office 
pursued a policy of dismantling the SAP over the 13 year period 1995-2008 by 
abolishing the broad based modern income tax structure, resorting more on 
indirect taxation, increasing the size of the Civil Service, and borrowing to 
finance development thereby massively increasing the national debt. These 
eventually created the same conditions that led to the SAP under the Brathwaite 
regime. These were inherited by the Tillman Thomas NDC Government in 2008 which 
strove heroically to avoid resorting to a World Bank/IMF SAP. However, PM 
Mitchell once again in office from 2013 and despite continuing his assault on 
the Sir Nicks SAP by renegotiating the terms of the privatization of GRENLEC, 
and attempting to dishonour the terms of other contracts with international 
investors had no other recourse but to 'bite the bullet' and resort to another 
SAP. A decision that I know gave Sir Nick a chuckle at its poetic justice. It 
is interesting that Keith Mitchell used the same strategy of a 'home grown 
program.' Grenadians instead of considering the World Bank/IMF as threats to 
their well being should be grateful to them for ensuring good economic 
management and governance.

4. Conclusion: I have endeavoured to justify my rating of Sir Nick as the best 
PM of Grenada based essentially on his accomplishments as a PM, but there are 
others whose views of him provide some support for my position some of which 
have been expressed in the tributes to him on his death. Beverly Steele's, 
Grenada: A history of its People, had this to say: "During his term of as Prime 
Minister, Nicholas Brathwaite once |more demonstrated a leadership 
characterized by fairness, sensitivity and thoughtfulness." What more could be 
said of any PM in the Caribbean? Recently Senator Rae Roberts article on Sir 
Nick's love for cricket and his educational and pleasant and educational 
experience working with him including visiting him at home and sitting on his 
balcony to discuss business and cricket brought back similar experiences by me 
when during the SAP years I reported to him on the balcony 5 nights a week. In 
the years afterwards up to last year, anytime I visited Grenada I would pay him 
a courtesy visit in the evening to get his take on the political and economic 
situation in Grenada. I was always amazed at his knowledge and incisiveness on 
what was happening, the sharpness of his mind, and his sagacity. I recall 
during the period of the NDC government of PM Tillman Thomas, the political and 
economic problems were eerily similar to those encountered d uring Sir Nicks 
administration and was surprised that his council was not avidly sought by the 
PM or the NDC party. However, up to his last days, Sir Nick always had 
Grenada's best interests at heart and was willing to serve the people of 
Grenada in any way that he could. His lasting legacy is that his qualities and 
performance as Prime Minister provide a model for future Grenadian and OECS 
Prime Ministers.

Dr. Carlyle Mitchell

Ottawa, Canada

(source: spiceislander.com)






INDIA:

1992 Bara killings: President sets aside MHA advice, commutes death of 4 to 
life term----The 1992 Bara massacre followed a string of massacres in 1990-91, 
in which 59 Scheduled Caste men were killed.


Setting aside the advice of the Home Ministry to reject the mercy petitions of 
the 4 convicts in the Bara caste massacre case, President Pranab Mukherjee has 
commuted their death sentences to life imprisonment. 25 years ago, in 1992, 34 
upper-caste Bhumihars were killed in Bara village near Gaya, Bihar, allegedly 
by members of the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC, now CPI-Maoist) - one of 
several caste killings in the area in the 1990s. 3 of the 4 convicts in the 
Bara case are Dalits.

Earlier this month, the President set aside the advice of the ministry as there 
were concerns about the decision unleashing a fresh round of caste skirmishes 
in Bihar and also because of the 'inordinate delay' by the state Governor in 
deciding on the mercy petitions, said sources.

The Home Ministry's recommendation for a rejection of the mercy petitions came 
in August 2016, after Bihar Governor Ramnath Kovind, acting on the advice of 
the state government, rejected the mercy pleas in February 2016.

On June 8, 2001, the Sessions Judge-cum-designated TADA court sentenced 
Nanhelal Mochi, Krishna Mochi, Bir Kuer Paswan and Dharmendra Singh to death, a 
verdict upheld by the Supreme Court in April 2002. In 2009, the court also 
sentenced Vyas Kahar, Naresh Paswan and Bugal Mochi to death in the same case. 
Later, Naresh was acquitted on grounds of lack of evidence and shoddy 
investigation, while the sentences of Vyas and Bugal were commuted to life.

The 1992 Bara massacre followed a string of massacres in 1990-91, in which 59 
Scheduled Caste men were killed. In 1997, the upper caste militia, Ranvir Sena, 
allegedly carried out a 'revenge attack' for Bara, leaving 58 Dalits dead in 
Laxmanpur Bathe. In 2013, the Bihar High Court acquitted all 26 people accused 
of the Laxmanpur Bathe massacre, sparking off an outcry from the civil society. 
Other caste massacres around the same time in the state included those in 
Bathani Tola, Haibasppur, Shankar Bigha and Lakhisarai.

The Supreme Court in the case of Shatrughan Chauhan and Anr Vs Union of India & 
Others had said in 2014: "It is vehemently asserted that the execution of death 
penalty in the face of such an inordinate delay would infringe fundamental 
right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution, which would invite the 
exercise of the jurisdiction by this Court." In that case the death sentence 
was commuted on the ground of "unreasonable, unexplained and exorbitant" delay 
in disposal of the mercy petition.

Long delay has in the past too been a ground for commutation of death penalty 
as the President did when he commuted the death sentence of Jitu Nain Singh 
Gehlot in September 2016. The delay in disposing the mercy petition in that 
case was of more than 14 years.

(source: indianexpress.com)






NIGERIA:

Afolabi: Chief Judges should sign warrant for capital punishment


Olayiwola Afolabi is a lawyer and human rights activist, who has handled 
several criminal cases in Edo State, including the controversial arrest and 
detention of environmentalist, Rev David Ugolor over the killing of Olaitan 
Oyerinde, the Principal Private Secretary to the then governor of Edo State, 
Adams Oshiomhole. He spoke to ALEMMA-OZIORUVA ALIU

Do you support capital punishment?

I support death sentence, even God in the Holy Writs approves it in the Old 
Testament. So, when you see the heinous crimes committed by armed robbers and 
kidnapers, you will be shocked. They will kidnap a woman, rape her and still 
kill her, and then you expect such people to go scot-free? No they should not 
go free, I support it totally.

Some people are of the opinion that state governors should be relieved of the 
power to sign death warrants. Do you subscribe to this position?

I agree with the stand of those agitating that the power to sign death warrant 
should be removed from state governors and be handled by the Chief Judge. In so 
doing, the Chief Judge will be exercising the power of the court. The beauty of 
it is that when it is capital offence, it passes through various stages before 
such sentence is given, that is from the High Court to Court of Appeal and then 
the Supreme Court.

Most of these politicians use these boys for their political campaigns and when 
they are caught committing such crimes as armed robbery or kidnapping, you see 
them coming to their aides, commuting the death sentence to imprisonment. There 
was a community leader in Edo State who committed an offence warranting capital 
punishment, he lost in the High Court, he lost in the Court of Appeal, the man 
also lost in the Supreme Court, but when we got to the point for execution, 
they wrote a letter to the State House of Assembly, to set aside the decision 
of the courts.

So, by the time you remove the power to approve death warrant from the 
politicians, such thing will not happen. If you leave lawful orders in the 
hands of politicians, they will mess it up and as such encourage lawlessness. 
Somebody has been condemned to death, he has been there for 10 years, a 
governor comes to power and leaves him to go. Justice is not only for the 
society; it is also for the victim and also for the accused person.

Some states have proposed death penalty for kidnapping, but the crime is still 
on the increase, what is responsible for this?

It doesn't mean that when a crime carries death penalty, those involved in it 
will stop. Some of these criminals are hardened. Even if it carries hanging 
publicly as a punishment, people will still do it, but it doesn't stop the law 
from taking its cause. Some people are hardened criminals, while some when they 
go for prison term they will change for the better, they will become remorse. I 
know of a pastor, I won't mention his name. He was in Oko Prison, he stole his 
company???s money and he was sentenced to prison, he repented while in prison 
and when he came out, he went and paid the money he stole. He did restitution 
and now he is a pastor. So, there are some people that will go there and be 
reformed, while others will go there and still be planning to commit more 
crime. But there is international campaign against death penalty by various 
human rights groups, shouldn't Nigeria be part of it?

The moment you begin to allow some of these foreign bodies to interfere with 
our system, you will have issues. For instance, can you allows gay marriage in 
Nigeria? But over there they allow it, the Supreme Court in America allowed for 
gay marriage, but it will not work here. So, we should not allow some of these 
bodies to influence us, because some of their views are strange to our own laws 
and practices. Imagine somebody who killed a fellow human being and cut off his 
head, then will you allow such a person to just go? If you allow some of these 
things, it can result to jungle justice when the people feel the law will be 
lenient on such criminals. When the people feel the law is not taking care of 
victims, they can take the law into their hands and burn people alive because 
they will feel if they go to the police, they will not get help.

There is death penalty law in Edo State, but no action on this since the law 
was signed by former Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

You see, in other states like Anambra, the governor and the Commissioner of 
Police supervise the demolition of houses used by kidnappers, but here in Edo 
State, we don't know what is going on. I am aware some people have been 
condemned to death for kidnapping, but sometimes, some things may stall the 
action. Investigation is key and it is the police that is supposed to come out 
with the information because a judge will not go out to investigate, a judge 
will not know which building was used to kidnap and sometimes they use the 
forest, they use somebody's farm and you cannot now go to destroy the farm. But 
I am aware that just last week, police arrested some people in a house with 
their victim in Ozah, so these are issues police should take up, that house 
should be taken over by government.

Cultism still thrives in Edo State and there is this impression that the laws 
against cultism are not strong enough to get conviction.

Cultism is very difficult, even for the police to trace. You have to rely on 
information. It is not an easy thing and most of these cult members are used by 
politicians during elections. That is why you find it difficult to trace them. 
You can't know a cultist without being told. It is very challenging because you 
don't know them, they know themselves.

Government should find a way of creating jobs. Look at Anambra State, they did 
not take any loan, but they are self-sufficient. Look at pumpkin leaf, South 
Korea, Japan, China come to Anambra State to buy this leaf. We have more land 
than Anambra here in Edo State; let each ocal government establish farm 
settlements to engage these young people. Government should create incentives 
and make it lucrative like it is done in Europe and America. It is a matter of 
ideas because ideas rule the world. Look at Ehor, every time you see people 
coming to take pineapples away, if Anambra can do it, Edo can do and it will 
check criminality.

(source: guardian.ng)






PHILIPPINES:

Pacman cites need to pass death penalty


Passage by Congress of the controversial bill seeking the reimposition of the 
death penalty will strike fear in the hearts of criminals, particularly those 
dealing with illegal drugs, boxing icon and Sen. Manny Pacquiao said.

"It has a deterrent effect," Pacquiao, a born-again Christian, said when asked 
if illegal drug operations in the country would finally cease once a death 
penalty measure is enacted into law during the administration of President 
Duterte.

However, Pacquiao conceded that crimes could not be eliminated altogether even 
if death penalty is reimposed.

The Senate Justice and Human Rights Committee chaired by Sen. Richard J. Gordon 
has scheduled a public hearing on various pro-death penalty bills on January 
30.

Like Gordon, Pacquiao asked why Filipinos get the death penalty when they 
violate grave crimes, including the trafficking of dangerous drugs, in foreign 
lands but foreigners who violate Philippine laws with impunity are merely 
jailed all because the country does not have a death penalty statute.

Although he earlier stated that he is against the reimposition of the death 
penalty, Gordon later said that he is keeping an open mind on the issue.

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson, chairman of the Senate Public Order and Dangerous Drugs 
Committee, earlier suggested that the Senate leadership create a sub-committee 
under Gordon's principal committee because Gordon is against the death penalty 
bill. (Mario B. Casayuran)

(source: tempo.com.ph)

****************

Archdiocese urges flock to oppose death penalty


REP. JOSELITO ATIENZA (Buhay Party-List) yesterday rallied the Catholic 
faithful to oppose a bill that seeks to restore the death penalty.

The bill will be debated in the House of Representatives next week.

Speaking at the Life Summit at Cebu City Hall, Atienza said the public cannot 
allow the country to be under a culture of death.

"I will not be shocked that if they succeed in passing this death penalty, the 
next measure that they will introduce is abortion. These are measures that are 
promoting a culture of death," Atienza said.

Atienza said the country is fortunate to have the Catholic faith.

"We are believing the word of God. But while we follow the word of God, how do 
we react to all these things (killings) happening?" Atienza said.

Referring to President Rodrigo Duterte, Atienza said the country has a leader 
who is popular but who does the wrong things.

"He sees the problem but he goes in the wrong direction. He says nothing but 
kill this and kill that. Is this the leader who will bring us to our desired 
way of life as Filipinos?" Atienza said.

"Duterte is only up to 2022. After that, he's gone. But the problem he is now 
creating will stay on with us. Of course, he will not be able to destroy the 
Catholic Church no matter what he does. But the culture of death will stay on 
and will affect our grandchildren," Atienza said.

The Archdiocese of Cebu's legal consultant said that if the death penalty is 
restored, it will impair the right to life as guaranteed by the 1987 
Constitution.

Speaking also during the Life Summit, lawyer Makilito Mahinay said death 
penalty is contrary to a United Nations resolution that death penalty is not a 
deterrent to crimes.

Mahinay discussed "what the church really teaches about death penalty." "Why do 
we kill people who kill people in order to show that killing people is wrong?" 
said Mahinay.

He asked: "Is our present judicial system perfect enough to ensure that only 
the guilty ones are penalized, and that just and appropriate penalties are the 
ones imposed?"

Mahinay showed the audience the Supreme Court observation in People vs. Mateo. 
It said that statistics show that within the 11-year period when death penalty 
took effect, from 1993 to June 2004, the trial courts had imposed death penalty 
in approximately 1,493 cases.

Upon automatic review by the SC, only 230 cases were affirmedabout 25.36 %. The 
rest were either reversed or modified.

Meanwhile, a professor of the University of Asia and the Pacific said that 
Amnesty International found that in death penalty, innocent people may be 
sentenced to death through judicial error.

(source: sunstar.com.ph)

*******************

Atienza seeks support vs death penalty


House Deputy Minority Leader Lito Atienza urged all the people, regardless of 
their religious affiliation, to fight against the bill that seeks to restore 
the death penalty in the country which is being pushed by House Speaker 
Pantaleon Alvarez.

In a Summit for Life spearheaded by Sanggunian Laiko ng Pilipinas (SLP) vice 
president and pro-life advocate Dr. Rene Bullecer yesterday at the Social Hall 
of Cebu City Hall, Atienza asked the 200 participants to tell their congressmen 
about their opposition to the death penalty.

"Your congressmen are your representatives in Congress. So tell them that you 
are against the death penalty because our judicial system is biased against the 
poor," Atienza said in his speech.

The forum was attended by around 200 pro-life advocates composed of senior 
citizens, nuns and youth sector representatives.

Other speakers were Atty. Makilito Mahinay, legal consultant of the Archdiocese 
of Cebu, and Atty. Jo Imbong, professor of University of Asia and the Pacific.

The participants said they are supporting President Rodrigo Duterte, but they 
need to express their gratitude for life.

Alvarez wants House Bill No. 1 that seeks to reimpose the death penalty in the 
Philippines passed into law next week.

Atienza said people should not allow the Philippines to be used as the "culture 
of death." He added that death penalty is not a solution to crime.

"We have a leader who is very popular but doing the wrong things. He sees the 
problem but he goes in the wrong direction. Is this the leader who will bring 
us to our desired way of life as Christians?" Atienza said.

Meanwhile, lawyer Mahinay said the president thinks that the country is on war.

He said the reason that triggered the president to revive the death penalty is 
because of his campaign against drugs.

"Are we in the state of war? Is there any war," Mahinay said.

Both Mahinay and Imbong said the bill is unconstitutional and that the crimes 
covered by the death penalty do not adhere to international law.

(source: cebudailynews.inquirer.net)