2 presidential hopefuls want death for plunderers

At least two presidential aspirants are in favor of the re-imposition of the death penalty, and they want convicted plunderers to be meted with the punishment. “When you plunder your country you kill many people, it's indirect murder," said Sen. Jamby Madrigal, an independent candidate, during the Foreign Correspondents' Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) presidential forum at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Makati City. Bro. Eddie Villanueva of Bangon Pilipinas said his primary reason for supporting the re-imposition of the death penalty was because it was “biblical." “Secondly, it should be against heinous crimes committed by moneyed people, not by poor people, so plunderers and syndicated kidnappings and warlordism," he added. One of their rivals for the presidency, former President Joseph Estrada, was convicted of plunder in September 2007 but was later granted a pardon by his successor, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Five other presidential aspirants present in the forum - Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III (Liberal Party), Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (Lakas-Kampi-CMD), Sen. Richard Gordon (Bagumbayan), JC Delos Reyes (Ang Kapatiran) and Nicky Perlas (independent) - thumbed down the idea. Gordon said the police have "woeful" investigative capabilities that sometimes lead to the conviction of poor people who are unable to defend themselves in court. The death penalty law was passed in 1992 but was abolished 14 years later in 2006 by President Arroyo. - Johanna Camille Sisante/KBK, GMANews.TV