Palace not keen on reimposition of death penalty

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang is not keen about the re-imposition of capital punishment in the country, despite an increase in criminal cases, like the reported kidnapping of foreign nationals in Mindanao by the Abu Sayyaf bandit group.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said President Aquino does not intend to revive the death penalty until the judiciary makes the assurance that only the guilty are punished and the innocent go free.

“Until such time that it can be ascertained that all verdicts handed down by our courts are generally free of doubt, and those who stand trial are assured of proper representation and a fair and just trial,” Valte said.

Around seven foreign nationals, including Jordanian journalist Baker Atyani, are allegedly in the custody of the Abu Sayyaf somewhere in Sulu.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said he has yet to check with Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo about the total number of hostages in the custody of the Abu Sayyaf.

“We’ll have to ask Secretary Robredo. I forgot to ask him about the Australian. I know that’s a concern of yours,” he said, in reference to Australian Richard Warren Rodwell who was reportedly kidnapped last January.

In March, there were also reports that Japanese treasure hunter Toshio Ito was held by the bandits, although unconfirmed reports indicated he joined the Abu Sayyaf as a cook.

The local police at the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, however, were not as sure about the fate of five other foreign kidnap victims.

“We’ll give you word as soon as we’re able to get more information on those others abductees,” Lacierda added.

Aquino to study death penalty

In January 2011, President Aquino said he would study the re-imposition of the death penalty in the wake of calls from various groups following several heinous crime cases.

He expressed concern over the re-implementation of capital punishment, saying that in the present judicial system, suspects who do not have the ability to secure the services of competent lawyers are prone to be wrongly convicted.

“I will have to study that, and I don’t know where the calls are emanating from but our judicial system, as you know, is not perfect,” Aquino said in an interview at the 65th Founding Anniversary of the Liberal Party at Club Filipino in San Juan City.

He said the death penalty could only be fully applied in a perfectly existing judicial system.

For the past two decades, Aquino had many discussions regarding the issue, including with his mother, the late President Cory Aquino.

“I had so many discussions from way back, close to two decades, and including discussions with my mother in that aspect. At the end of the day, I used to support death penalty,” he related.

“But I also witnessed that justice was not perfect, so I have to change my position since we cannot turn back the clock if we execute somebody, then we shouldn’t, in the off chance that we might render that penalty to somebody who was not guilty,” Aquino said.