Palace: Revival of death penalty needs thorough study

Malacañang said any move to restore the death penalty must undergo careful and comprehensive study.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to take a position on the matter, amid renewed calls to impose capital punishment on corrupt officials.

Castro stressed that reinstating the death penalty should not be rushed, noting the need to ensure that the country’s five pillars of justice are working fairly and effectively.

“Dapat aralin ito dahil hindi lamang ito bigla-biglang sinasabi na dapat nandiyan na ang death penalty. Inaaral mabuti dahil dapat malinis, mabuti, maging maayos itong tinatawag nating five pillars of justice system,” Castro said.

She also warned of the danger of wrongful convictions, citing past incidents of planted evidence and false accusations.

“Paano kung ang inosente ay nagawan ng intriga at naplantahan ng ebidensiya? Death penalty ang maaaring ipataw. Kawawa naman po ‘yung masasabi nating inosente,” according to her.

The Philippines first abolished the death penalty in 1987, reinstated it in 1993 under President Fidel Ramos, and repealed it again in 2006 under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.IMT