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Senatorial bets oppose lifting of politician's term federalism, death penalty

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fimits,
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(r) ? mposing stiffer penalties
I ofttre solutionJ proposed to put
nares and indigenoqs people;s rightJ
was one
advocate Agnes Escudero raised the

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an end to human rights abuses
commil.ted by government law
enforcem€nt agentsl
Human rights lawyer Neri Colne-
proposals at the second "Harapan 2019:
The ABS-CBN Senatorial Ttrwn Hall
Debate" last Sunday.
The two senat6rial canAi )41
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Stiffer penalties eyed...
dates also proposed the the recruitment
ofmore chaplains to offer spiritual and
moral guidance to policemen is another
antidote to human rights abuses.
Colmenares and Escudero are
among eight senatorial candidates who
showed up at the ABS-CBN Senatorial
Town Hall Debate, supported by the
Manila Bulletin as the network's media
partnen
But former Senato4 Mar Roxas and
former Quezon R€p. Erin lbnada ofotso
Diretso senatorial slate, said body and
dash board cameras may do the trick
Eight senatorial candidates who
made good their promise to appear at
the televised debate aired various re-
sponses to Marissa Lazaro, whose son
was killed following an a[eged shootout
with policemen.
In tears, Lazaro recounted how
police claimed that her 22-year-old son
was involved in robbery and had fired
at them. But during investigation, she
noted that her son had been handcufred,
indicating that he was already under
police custody when shot.
Reacting to Lazaro's tale, Colme-
na.res said stiff penalties and new laws
thatwould stop state:sponsored killings
are among the effective antidotes to
abusive police force.
Escudero sympathized with Lazaro,
but pointed out the need for policemed to
have spiritual and moral guidance.
"Kailangan ng kapulisan ng mga
chaplain para magbigayngmoral. spbi-
tual na pagtatag sa kanilang pagkatao
(Policemen need chaplains to keep
them morally and spbituatly stron9,"
she said.
As his senatorial rivals took turrs
in condemning alleged extrajudicial
hlings committed by the police, inde-
pendent senatorial bet Abner Afuang, a
former Makati City polieeman, protested
the failure ofhuman rights advocates to
bake cognizance of the killing of police-
men.
"Malnoon infrastructure of impunity
sa paglabag sa katarungan pantao sa
gobyerno. Suportado ng gobyerno ang
mga pulis na involved sa pagpatay," said
Colmenares.
The human rights activist stressed
that human rights abuses can be fought
<t
before tiree arenas by passing a law
punishingstate-sponsoredkilling, court
action, and by protesting on the street.
Roxas, who had served as Interior
and Local Government secretary, said
mandatory installation of body and
dashboard cameras can be effective
deterrents of police abuse.
"Naka-record kung ano talaga ang
nang'ari at hindi na na mauulit ang
paglabag sa mga batas," he said.
Thnada backed Roxas' proposal for
tlle installation of cameras ttlat would
stand witness against abuses.
"Mahusay na training ng police of-
frcers, kung hindi ito gagawin tiyak na
marami pa rin bad eggs sa pulisya," the
former Quezon congressman added.
Magdalo senatorial candidate Gary
Alejano batted for reforms in the police
recruitment procedure, saying this
should put an end to corruption.
Alejano recommended the creation
ofa strong Phiiippine Nahonal Police In-
0erna.l Affairs Service and firing abusive
policemen, instead of transfening them
to other assignments.
Federalism advocate Conrado
- "Ding" cenemso said the draft federal
constitution submitted by the 22-man
Consultative Commission contains
provisions that will guarantee thatjus-
tice will be given to victims of human
rights.
Election lanyer Romulo Macalintal
noted that there has been no victim of
human rights among the rich.
Tbrm limit, federatism,
death penalty opposed
Meanwhile, the senatorial candi-
da0es oppose the removal ofpoliticians'
term limits in office, the shift to a fuderal
form o[ government, and the re-imposi-
tion of tlte death penalty.
At the "Fbst Tblk" segnent ofthe de-
bate, Genemso,spokesmanofPr€sident
Duterte's Consultative Commission
(Con-Cord, ackrowledged that lifting of
the terrn limitwas the "stumblingbloclC'
for federalism-
Generoso said that in the draft
fuderal charter proposed by the Con-
Com, only two terms are allowed for
politicians.
"Hindi. Dapat may term limits (No.
There should be term limit)," Alejano, a
i'
4e-4.n >t ir,)-16 Ntzt Ds ir
t"a/
former Marine captain, said when asked
about the removal of politicians' term
limits in office.
Alejano, Macalintal, Tanada, and
Afuang said they were not in favor of
federalism.
Alejano: Hindi. Hindi pa tayo handa.
Ang mayaman lalong yayaman, ang
mahirap lalong hihirap. (No, we are
not ready for federalism. The rich will
become richer, the poor will become
poorer)
Tanada: Hindi ako pabor. Dahil hindi
pa napag-uusapan husto 'yung negative
effects nito. (I'm not in favor Because its
negative effects have notbeen discussed
tloroughly.)
Macalintal: Hindi ako pabor kasi
hindi pa tayo handa sa ganyang uri ng
gobyerno. (I'm not in favor because we
are not yet ready for that kind of govern-
rnent.)
Atuang: Hindi. (I.[o.)
The Senate bets attending the sec-
ond debabe were also asked where they
stood on peace talks, legalizing the use
of medical marijuana, and same sex
marriage.
Colmenares, Alejano, and Tanada
agreed on the resumption of peace
talks with the Communist Party of the
Philippines-New People's Armlr
Colmenares: Dapat ang pagkapaya-
paan, igirfit natin '}1rn. We have to push
for peace.)
Alejano: Sa akin, gusto ko ng kapaya-
paan. Dapat may peace talks tayo. (For
me, I want peace. Let us have peace
talks-)
Tanada: Kailangan muling bu}san.
Naniniwala al{o sa kapayapaan. 0t needs
to be reopened. I believe on peace.)
On medical marijuana:'
Alejano: Hindi. (No.)
Thnada: Pabor ako dahil iyan ay nag-
papagaan sa epekto ng ibang sakit. (I'm
in favor because it lessens the effects of
other sickness.)
Agnes Escudero: No.
On same sex marriage:
Alejano: Hindi. cNo.)
Tbnada: Hindi ako pabor dahil mas
pabor ako sa civil union partnerships.
O'm not in favor because I'm in favor of
civil u4ion partnerships.)
Macalintal: Hindi dapat 'yan pero
ginagalang ko ang karapatan ng bawat
isa. (That should not be allowed but I
respect the rights of everyone. )