Sotto: Death penalty (for high-level drug trafficking alone) may be revived in the next Senate.

The landslide victory of the admin backed senatorial candidates plus those remaining in the Senate, numbers alone it is enough to bring back death penalty by legislation.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the bill reviving death penalty would likely flourish in the next Congress.

“In the news Senate, there’s a possibility of 13 [votes] for high-level drug trafficking alone,” Sotto said in a press briefing held recently.

Senate President Vicente Sotto (photo credit to owner)

 

A measure only needs 13 votes to be passed in the Senate.

Death penalty for other heinous crimes, however, will not likely prosper according to Sotto.

As of presstime the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) partial , official tally of votes are dominated by allies of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, who himself has been pushing for the reimposition of death penalty for drug trafficking.

Among those backing the revival of capital punishment are former senators Pia Cayetano, Lito Lapid and Ramon “Bong” Revilla.

Likely winners former presidential aide Bong Go, former PNP chief Bato dela Rosa, former MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino, and Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos are also supportive of death penalty.

Senators Koko Pimentel, Cynthia Villar, and Sonny Angara are all in favor of death penalty but only for high-level drug offenses.

Senators Nancy Binay and Grace Poe, meanwhile, reject capital punishment, although Poe had favored death penalty when she ran for the presidency in 2016.

The country dropped capital punishment in 1987 following the ratification of a Freedom constitution under the late Corazon Aquino.

In 1993, death penalty was reinstated as part of former president Fidel V. Ramos’ campaign promise. The practice was suspended under the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration in 2006.

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Report from News5