MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Archie Gamboa said yesterday that the death penalty should be reimposed on convicted drug dealers nabbed in possession of at least 50 grams.
Gamboa supported President Duterte’s proposal for the return of the death penalty against drug-related offenses, since the apprehension of big time drug traffickers requires a lot of work and surveillance.
“When I say HVTs (high value targets), it should be more than 50 grams and up because users only carry with them sachets. So if you ask me, (death penalty) should prey around those number of grams,” Gamboa said.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) made a similar suggestion the other day, but only in the cases involving at least one kilo or more of illegal drugs.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III rejected yesterday the suggestion of Gamboa that those caught with at least 50 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu should be meted the death penalty.
Sotto said Gamboa’s suggestion was harsher than Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
“Hindi naman pwede yun (that could not be). The present law says 200 (grams) is non-bailable, paanong naging 50 (grams) lang (ang) death penalty (how could it be that only 50 grams is punishable by the death penalty)? 50 (grams) is easy to plant. If they (PNP) insist, then forget the bill,” Sotto said on Twitter.
Sotto has filed a bill seeking the imposition of capital punishment on high-level drug traffickers only, which he said would be more acceptable to senators who are against the death penalty.