Hi Steemians:) I wanna share with you my insight about Death Penalty in the Philippines! Hope you will like it.
More than eleven years had passed when the Death Penalty here in the Philippines was abolished, and with the issues that we are experiencing now, there are calls to bring it back.
It was year 1999 when Leo Echagaray and six others were executed because of various heinous crimes. They were given a lethal injection because of the R.A. 7659 or commonly known as the Death Penalty Law. Mr. Joseph Estrada was the president that time. Back then, it created a buzz about being inhumane and that is why it was given a moratorium and eventually abolished in June 2006. It was President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who signed the Republic Act. No 9346, also known as an Act of Prohibiting the Imposition of the Death Penalty in the Philippines.
Lately, it started to make noise on the public again. This issue is being controversial these past months, because the whole Congress are plenary debating if they should not or shall return the law.
Is there a difference between then and now? Virtually, none.
Before, crimes were rampant and that is the reason why they approved and passed the law. Today, crimes are still rampant and it seems like nothing has changed. Did death penalty become humane the past eleven years? Obviously, it did not.
If we bring back the death penalty, it would seem like only the stage and actors are changed, but the piece is still as it is. Filipinos will be killed in the Philippines by Filipinos too. Would there still be heinous crimes even if death penalty was brought back? Probably yes. We can’t stop people from doing crimes because we can’t rule them and just stop them from doing things that isn’t right.
If the purpose of bringing back the death penalty is to strike or give fear to criminals, then it would seriously fail. Crimes would not vanish because of just a law; because of the Death Penalty. What should be addressed is the reason why people commit heinous crimes. Instead of letting them just die or be killed, they should be given time to repent and reflect on their actions. Lifetime imprisonment would see to that.
An eye for an eye makes everyone blind, a wrong would not be right because of another wrong. Death is clearly not a solution.
Thank you so much for reading Ka Steemits:)
All the best,
queenahr
Photo source: Google and Change.org