Senators react to calls to impose death penalty, total gun ban

MANILA, Philippines - Senators on Monday gave mixed reactions to proposals for a total gun ban and for the re-imposition of death penalty in the country.

 

Sen. Francis Escudero said in a statement that the re-imposition of death penalty will not deter heinous crimes in the country.

 

"The death penalty will not stop miscreants from carrying out their crimes. I have always said that it is still the certainty of punishment, not its severity, that will deter crimes," Escudero said.

 

The senator supports President Benigno Aquino III's position against calls for the re-imposition of the death penalty, which were revived after the bloody shooting in Kawit, Cavite on Friday.

 

The blooding shooting involving a suspected drug addict came amid an intensifying debate on the imposition of gun control measures in the country, which was sparked by the death of stray bullet victim, seven-year-old Stephanie Nicole Ella.

 

"Even if the death penalty is in place, criminals, especially the moneyed ones, will still find creative ways to escape the arms of the law. The likes of Jovito Palparan, charged with a non-bailable offense, the Reyes brothers of Palawan accused as master minds in the death of a journalist and environmental advocate, and Delfin Lee, said to have bilked thousands of poor housing aspirants, where are they? They can afford to hire good, expensive lawyers to keep them out of jail and outside the reach of the law," Escudero said.

 

 

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, suggested that civilian gun owners should not be allowed to carry their firearms outside of the homes.

 

"Firearms are for self-defense and protection of properties from intruders, and not for offensive action by the possessor," Lacson said.

 

Civilians gun owners are allowed to apply for a permit to carry firearms outside residence.

 

Lacson said deterring civilians from carrying firearms outside their homes may finally reverse the perception that anyone with a firearm tucked in his waist must be a police or law enforcement officer or at least one with the permit.

 

Instead, anyone with a firearm tucked in his waist would be presumed as a "bad element without doubt and therefore must be reported to the authorities."

 

"When this happens, a lot of lives can be saved and a big positive impact on the country's peace and order will be felt by the citizenry," he said.

 

 

Sen. Vicente Sotto III said that imposing a total gun ban in the country would "not prevent a repeat of the bloodbath but would only exacerbate the already grave peace and order problem in our country."

 

"Even today, responsible gun owners are no match to heavily-armed criminal elements, which the authorities could not seem to confront despite its superior," he said.

 

He added: "If we outlaw guns, then only the outlaws will have guns, as the saying goes. The citizenry will be at the mercy of the criminal elements with high-powered guns at their disposal."