Group seeks death by firing squad vs. men in uniform

MANILA, Philippines - Anti-crime group Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption on Wednesday called on the government to reinstate the death penalty for the personnel of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines and other law enforcement agencies who would be found guilty of heinous crimes.

Boy Evangelista, one of the Board of Trustees of VACC, said the position of the group is to reimpose the death penalty against erring policemen and military personnel who are involved in major crimes as a deterrent.

"Nobody's safe ngayun sa crime situation sa atin. Kaya ang position namin ay death penalty for men in uniform who commit heinous or major crimes dahil inaabuso nila ang kanilang authority or power," Evangelista said in a media forum in Greenhills, San Juan City on Wednesday.

Evangelista said the group came out with the position paper two weeks ago after several policemen were caught on camera stopping a private car. The cops later reportedly extorted money from the occupants of the vehicle.

"Naging divine intervention na rin yung nangyari sa hulidap dyan sa EDSA dahil maraming nabuksang anomalya ng mga implementing agencies," he said.

He added that the VACC supports the reinstatement of the death penalty proposal of Senator Vicente Sotto III, but not by lethal injection.

"We want the death penalty be carried out via firing [squad] in public to have a chilling effect," said Evangelista, whose son, Venson, was brutally murdered by members of car thieves in January 2011.

Aside from the reimposition of the death penalty, Evangelista said the VACC has also submitted to Malacanang proposals such as review and reform in the recruitment process of new policemen and the National Police Commission - Internal Affairs Service.

"Dapat baguhin ang recruitment process kasi dun nag uumpisa then integrate and civilian sa military training para may check and balance," he said.