Will a legislator’s favoring Bill. No. 4727 make him violate the 5th Commandment?
Mary Anne Quizon
The house is divided on favoring the passage of bill 4727 on Capital punishment into a law. The governing coalition speaker has been urging and allegedly threatening those who openly contradict the passage of the bill. Even our good Archbishop Cruz who is openly against capital punishment was irreverently mocked, criticized and accused of meddling with the House of Representatives.
The following are excerpts from a recent interview of Speaker Alvarez by Arnold Clavio of UNANG HIRIT GMA 7:
“Alvarez: Pambihira naman, tabingi na ang utak ng Bishop Cruz na yan. Papaano naman, bakit siya nakikialam kung paano natin gagawin ang polisiya sa pagpapatakbo ng House of Representatives. Halimbawa, kagaya nga nito may napakahalagang panukalang batas sa ating administrasyon…”
“Clavio: Dahil ito po ay nakasandal yata sa utos daw ng Diyos na huwag kang papatay.”
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“Clavio: Opo. Pero naninindigan pa rin kayong doon sa bantang tatanggalin po sa puwesto yung mga ibang lider ng Kamara na hindi susuporta diyan sa death penalty bill, Speaker.”
“Alvarez: Igan hindi po ako nagbabanta, nilatag ko lang ang policy.”
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“Clavio: Okay, pati po itong si VP Leni, Speaker?”
“Clavio: Na dating Kongresista, na nagsabi na hindi po dapat i-pressure ang mga mambabatas na kontra sa death penalty.”
“Alvarez: Bakit pa siya… (laughs) pambihira naman. Yun na nga, bakit nga naman, bakit ba sila nakikialam?”
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“Clavio: Opo. Okay. Speaker nagka-usap na ba kayo ni Deputy Speaker Gloria Arroyo na kaugnay nitong anti-death penalty po siya?”
“Alvarez: Hindi pa po, pero nilatag ko lang yung policy. Ngayon, lahat naman yan, mayroong… binigyan natin ng laya.”
“Clavio: Opo, Speaker anong senaryo po kunwari, manindigan din si Deputy Speaker GMA na anti-death penalty siya, so matatanggal siya as deputy speaker, ganoon po ba?”
“Alvarez: Ganoon po ang mangyayari.”
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“:Clavio: Opo. Ito naman pong Makabayan bloc, nabalitaan ninyo ba may banta raw magkudeta laban sa inyo?
“Alvarez: (Laughs) Hindi naman kudeta, hindi naman tayo natatakot diyan.” “Clavio: May bilang ho ba sila para ma-unseat kayo?”
“Alvarez: Ewan ko po Igan, pero sa akin kasi ganito, kung hindi ko matutulungan ang ating administrasyon, ang ating Pangulo dito sa mga panukalang batas na gusto nila, para ano pa na naging Speaker ako, tanggalin na rin pala ako. “
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As Christians we believe in the 5th Commandment of the Lord .We know that the legislator who favours and signs the passage of the bill imposing Capital punishment is as culpable as the executioner in the final execution of each and every criminal who sits for a capital punishment.
It is not always true that capital punishment might lessen the commission of heinous crimes. Moreover, people can commit mistakes. Even judges and juries. If an innocent person is convicted and executed the execution can no longer be undone. This would be a fatal mistake which could impact greatly on many.
A ‘hardened criminal ‘ who has committed a heinous crime if given a life sentence in jail rather than imposed the capital punishment will have to spend his whole life suffering and contemplating on the grievousness of his crime. While a deserving convict imposed a capital punishment will no longer feel any remorse or pain after the final execution . This makes the former punishment which is life sentence more appropriate as although the convict’s life was not cut off, the sufferings in confinement could be greater, more painfully unbearable and seemingly infinite.