Arroyo: No to revival of death penalty
07/20/2009 | 08:33 PM
MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang on Monday reiterated its position against the death penalty, saying proposals to revive it should be studied carefully first.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo remains firm on her pro-life stance. She however added that the Palace would make an official statement only after it received a formal proposal.
“Pro-life po si Pangulong Arroyo, but just the same we have not received the proposal yet so palagay ko officially maganda na matanggap po muna natin iyan," she said.
[President Arroyo remains pro-life, but just the same we have not received any proposal to revive the death penalty. It would be better to receive an official proposal first.]
President Arroyo prohibited the imposition of death penalty in 2006 through Republic Act No. 9346, or "An Act Prohibiting the Imposition of Death Penalty in the Philippines."
Fajardo's statement came hours after several lawmakers from the House of Representatives vowed to move for the re-imposition of the death penalty following the reported kidnapping and rape of an anti-drug agent’s daughter.
Fajardo said President Arroyo has already ordered a thorough investigation of the case, including determining the conditions of the victim.
“She is very concerned and definitely sinusubaybayan po ni Pangulo kung sino ang mga tao na nasa likod niyan [she is keeping tabs on the developments on the case]," Fajardo said.
She added that the President, a staunch anti-illegal drugs advocate, has already ordered concerned government agencies to provide all the necessary assistance to the victim’s family.
President Arroyo early this year showed her tough stance against illegal drugs when she assumed the position of an anti-drug czar.
Fajardo said the government’s anti-narcotics agents should not be demoralized by the abduction and rape incident and instead consider it as a challenge to unmask drug lords in the country, even if some of them are politicians as alleged by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB).
“So kung malalaman natin na may sangkot na politicians dito tulad ng allegation ng iba sa mga agents natin, hindi po natin puwedeng santuhin ang mga political leaders na iyan kahit na po gaano kataas ang impluwensiya nila," she said.
[If there’s truth to the allegations that some politicians are involved in narco-politics, then they should be dealt with accordingly no matter what position they are holding in the government.] - GMANews.TV
Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo remains firm on her pro-life stance. She however added that the Palace would make an official statement only after it received a formal proposal.
“Pro-life po si Pangulong Arroyo, but just the same we have not received the proposal yet so palagay ko officially maganda na matanggap po muna natin iyan," she said.
[President Arroyo remains pro-life, but just the same we have not received any proposal to revive the death penalty. It would be better to receive an official proposal first.]
President Arroyo prohibited the imposition of death penalty in 2006 through Republic Act No. 9346, or "An Act Prohibiting the Imposition of Death Penalty in the Philippines."
Fajardo's statement came hours after several lawmakers from the House of Representatives vowed to move for the re-imposition of the death penalty following the reported kidnapping and rape of an anti-drug agent’s daughter.
Fajardo said President Arroyo has already ordered a thorough investigation of the case, including determining the conditions of the victim.
“She is very concerned and definitely sinusubaybayan po ni Pangulo kung sino ang mga tao na nasa likod niyan [she is keeping tabs on the developments on the case]," Fajardo said.
She added that the President, a staunch anti-illegal drugs advocate, has already ordered concerned government agencies to provide all the necessary assistance to the victim’s family.
President Arroyo early this year showed her tough stance against illegal drugs when she assumed the position of an anti-drug czar.
Fajardo said the government’s anti-narcotics agents should not be demoralized by the abduction and rape incident and instead consider it as a challenge to unmask drug lords in the country, even if some of them are politicians as alleged by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB).
“So kung malalaman natin na may sangkot na politicians dito tulad ng allegation ng iba sa mga agents natin, hindi po natin puwedeng santuhin ang mga political leaders na iyan kahit na po gaano kataas ang impluwensiya nila," she said.
[If there’s truth to the allegations that some politicians are involved in narco-politics, then they should be dealt with accordingly no matter what position they are holding in the government.] - GMANews.TV
