Intl jurists oppose As it stands now, House Bill 4727 imposes capital punishment only on commission of drug-related

crimes. Proponents of the bill claim that this is to support the Presidents war on drugs.

death penalty bill The controversial measure was approved only eight session days after it reached the plenary for

debates on Feb. 1.
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 04:30 AM March 04, 2017

It is obvious that proponents of state killing as means of justice were intent on rushing the passage of
BANGKOKThe International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) urged the Philippine Congress on Friday
the death penalty bill by thwarting any substantial discussion thereon and by pressuring into silence
to bring a halt to the governments attempt to bring back capital punishment.
those who oppose it, said Emerlynne Gil, ICJs senior international legal adviser for Southeast Asia.

The Congress attempt to restore this heinous practice is in blatant breach of its international legal
A similar bill proposing to bring back the death penalty has been filed at the Senate. The Senate
obligations, the ICJ said.
committee on justice and human rights conducted the first hearing on the bill last Feb. 7.

The ICJ condemned the approval on second reading of a bill to restore the death penalty by the House

of Representatives on March 1 and called on legislators to vigorously oppose it and prevent it from Read more: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/153074/intl-jurists-oppose-death-penalty-
bill#ixzz4aKEwJZtR
being passed on final reading.
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If adopted, the legislation will place the Philippines at odds with its legal obligation under international

treaties to which it is party, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its second,

Optional Protocol aiming at the abolition of the death penalty.

The ICJ also expressed concern at the manner in which the bill was effectively railroaded this week

when the House passed on second reading House Bill No. 4727, which seeks to reintroduce the death

penalty for drug-related crimes.

House Bill 4727 will be put to a final vote on third reading next week. Nominal voting will be done on

the third reading of the bill.

To marshal enough support for the bill, prodeath penalty legislators struck off all other crimes that

were proposed in the original bill to be punishable by death, such as plunder, treason and rape.
The House of Representatives has approved House Bill 4727, or the
proposed Death Penalty Law, on 2nd reading in a viva voce vote.
The approval came on Ash Wednesday, which kicks off the Lenten
season in the Roman Catholic Church's calendar. Lent
commemorates the passion, execution, and resurrection of Jesus
Christ.
The approved version of the bill makes the death penalty an option for
judges to impose on those convicted only for drug-related offenses.
The proposed law imposes the penalty of reclusion perpetua to death
and a fine ranging from P500,000 to P10 million in addition to
absolute perpetual disqualification from any public office, on any
public officer or employee who misappropriates, misapplies, or fails to
account for seized dangerous drugs.
The bill adds: "Any elective local or national official found to have
benefited from the proceeds of the trafficking of dangerous drugs as
prescribed in this Act, or have received any financial or material
contributions or donations from natural or juridical persons found
guilty of trafficking dangerous drugs as prescribed in this Act, shall be
removed from office and perpetually disqualified from holding any
elective or appointive positions in the government, its divisions,
subdivisions, and intermediaries, including government-owned or
controlled corporations."
"Any person who is found guilty of 'planting' any dangerous drug
and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical, regardless of
quantity and purity, shall suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua to
death."
The death penalty will not be imposed on a guilty person below 18
years of age at the time of the commission of a drug-related crime.
Court of Appeals and Supreme Court review of any death penalty
ruling will be mandatory. The bill would also require that the most
senior lawyers of the public attorneys' office assist in the appeals.
The bill authorizes hanging, firing squad, and lethal injection as
modes of execution.
The approval came amid questions from opponents of the bill who
wanted to tackle each of the individual amendments and put them to a
vote separately before the entire bill is voted upon.
The opponents likewise repeatedly asked for nominal voting each
time a subject matter is put to a vote, instead of a mere viva voce.
All proposals inconsistent with the results of the supermajority caucus
were refused.
Opponents of the bill wanted to delete the death penalty from the bill
but they were all rejected.
After 2 hours, House Majority Leader Rodolfo Farias said the bill's
opponents were not really interested in amending so he acceded to
the motion for a 2nd roll call and indicated he will terminate the period
of amendments.
The vote to approve on 2nd reading then came later.
Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin wanted the bill remanded to the
Dangerous Drugs Committee. Villarin cited Section 28 (k) of the Rules
of the House, which states that the Committee on Dangerous Drugs
has authority over all "matters directly and principally relating to illegal
and prohibited drugs, controlled precursors and essential chemicals,
the production, manufacture, use and trafficking thereof, as well as
the rehabilitation and treatment of drug dependents."
"Hindi dapat mauna ang karitela sa kabayo. How can we properly
discuss the penalty if we won't tackle the nature of the crimes?" he
said.
Kabayan Party-List Rep. Harry Roque earlier said a viva voce keeps
the votes of each congressmen anonymous under the cloak of loud
voices while nominal voting compels each lawmaker to put on record
his or her vote.
Usually, votes on 2nd reading are done viva voce while nominal
voting is done on 3rd and final reading. However a nominal vote
earlier than the 3rd reading vote telegraphs or gives a good indication
of the stand of each lawmaker, allowing pressure groups the
opportunity to do some last-minute jockeying for votes.
The death penalty was abolished during the Arroyo administration in
2006. Former President Gloria Arroyo, now a House deputy speaker,
has expressed her opposition to the bill despite the threat from House
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez that those who oppose the bill will be
stripped of their positions.
The bill has become a divisive matter in the lower House, taking the
majority several caucuses to get a consensus.
Alvarez asked members of the majority back the measure, calling for
party votes among supermajority member parties.
The death penalty is also expected to determine whether the Liberal
Party lawmakers will stay in the majority . The LP has adopted a party
stand against the death penalty but allowed its members to vote
based on their conscience without fear of party sanctions.
Opposition LP members are hoping those who would be punished for
voting against the bill will join the ranks of the minority at the lower
House.