Anti-illegal drugs program pushed
01/10/2009 | 12:38 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang is cool on proposals to impose the death penalty against drug traffickers and is pushing instead for the creation of a more comprehensive anti-illegal drugs program.
In a press conference Friday, Presidential Management Staff Director-General Cerge M. Remonde said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has consistently supported the position of the Roman Catholic Church, which is against any form of capital punishment.
Mr. Remonde, however, added that the President was "willing to listen to discussions about the issue when it is tackled in the appropriate forum."
For his part, Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Gabriel S. Claudio said Malacanang would allow Congress to act on bills calling for death penalty.
"The revival of the death penalty for heinous crimes including drug trafficking can only be done by law. If there should be new proposals for such, we can rely on Congress to make a careful, sober and comprehensive evaluation,"he said in a text message.
Earlier, the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and some lawmakers expressed support for a measure that would impose capital punishment against drug pushers, believing this would address the country’s problem on drug abuse.
This, after the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PPDEA) claimed that a P50 million bribe was paid by some individuals to release three suspects caught in an anti-drug operations in Alabang last year.
The suspects — Jorge Joseph, Richard Brodett, and Joseph Tecson — have been labeled "Alabang Boys" and are said to belong to rich families.
State prosecutors, however, denied receiving bribes and maintained that the cases against the three were dismissed due to lack of evidence.
Mr. Remonde said he met with DDR Chairman Vicente "Tito"Sotto III and some lawmakers to tackle reforms that would improve the anti-drug campaign in the country.
"We talked about reforms for DDB and PDEA so we can come up with a more coordinated and therefore more efficient campaign against drugs. The President will also come out with a strong policy statement in the campaign against illegal drugs very soon," he said. — Alexis Douglas B. Romero, BusinessWorld
In a press conference Friday, Presidential Management Staff Director-General Cerge M. Remonde said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has consistently supported the position of the Roman Catholic Church, which is against any form of capital punishment.
Mr. Remonde, however, added that the President was "willing to listen to discussions about the issue when it is tackled in the appropriate forum."
For his part, Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Gabriel S. Claudio said Malacanang would allow Congress to act on bills calling for death penalty.
"The revival of the death penalty for heinous crimes including drug trafficking can only be done by law. If there should be new proposals for such, we can rely on Congress to make a careful, sober and comprehensive evaluation,"he said in a text message.
Earlier, the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and some lawmakers expressed support for a measure that would impose capital punishment against drug pushers, believing this would address the country’s problem on drug abuse.
This, after the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PPDEA) claimed that a P50 million bribe was paid by some individuals to release three suspects caught in an anti-drug operations in Alabang last year.
The suspects — Jorge Joseph, Richard Brodett, and Joseph Tecson — have been labeled "Alabang Boys" and are said to belong to rich families.
State prosecutors, however, denied receiving bribes and maintained that the cases against the three were dismissed due to lack of evidence.
Mr. Remonde said he met with DDR Chairman Vicente "Tito"Sotto III and some lawmakers to tackle reforms that would improve the anti-drug campaign in the country.
"We talked about reforms for DDB and PDEA so we can come up with a more coordinated and therefore more efficient campaign against drugs. The President will also come out with a strong policy statement in the campaign against illegal drugs very soon," he said. — Alexis Douglas B. Romero, BusinessWorld
