VACC: Death penalty about retribution, not just deterrence

MANILA, Philippines — The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption on Tuesday said the death penalty will deter crime because everyone is afraid to die.

 

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, among the lawmakers opposed to the revival of the death penalty, said that the death penalty has not been shown to be an effective deterrent to crime, a point also raised by CHR Commissioner Karen Dumpit. Dumpit said that there is no correlation between death penalty and the increase or decrease in crime rates.

 

The Department of Social Welfare and Development agreed with Dumpit.

 

READ: Hontiveros: Death penalty under 'flawed' system to bring injustice

 

But VACC legal counsel Ferdinand Topacio said that the VACC "believe the jury is still out on it."  He however said that "certain fundamental facts remain" such as that everyone is afraid to die.

 

"Ngayon po yung mga hindi natatakot na heinous criminals, I think the state should oblige them," Topacio said.

 

He added that the purpose of justice system is not only deterence as it also includes rehabilitation, incapacitation and retribution.

 

"It is not only to protect the innocent and the punish the guilty, but to restore balance in society," Topacio said.

 

He added that without retribution, there will be a feeling of failure in the criminal justice system.

 

"Death penalty actually obviates the need for the chaos that might ensue," Topacio said, adding that the death penalty is not revenge, but retribution "imposed by society as the agent of the individual."

 

He said however, that those who need rehabilitation will be rehabilitated. He added, though, that recent incidents showed that there are those who are "beyond rehabilitation."

 

Topacio also said that the death penalty is not cruel and inhuman based on the 1987 Constitution.

 

He added that the framers of the constitution left it to the future legislators to reimpose death penalty "whenever circumstances permit."

 

"And it is the position of the VACC that the circumstances now permit the reimplementation of the death penalty," Topacio added.

 

He also said that the number of poor people in jail is due to the fact that there are more poor people in the Philippines, and not because the death penalty is anti-poor.

 

Topacio said that while it is not known if death penalty costs more, breakdown of law and order in the society "costs more."

 

He added while no one can guarantee a "100-percent foolproof legal system," the president may review the justice of the court and do something to lessen the impact of the error. Courts are under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, which can review cases. The president, as head of the executive branch of government, can grant amnesties in certain cases.