CBCP official hits Pacquiao for ‘misinterpreting’ Bible

MANILA, Philippines — An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday slammed Sen. Manny Pacquiao for allegedly misinterpreting the Bible in justifying his stand for revival of the death penalty in the country.

CBCP Commission on Prison Pastoral Care executive secretary Rodolfo Diamante alleged that the senator had a “wrong interpretation of the Bible” in claiming that God allows capital punishment.

“He is actually misleading the public on his own understanding of the scriptural passage. This is what is dangerous,” Diamante stressed.

The prelate asked the senator and his staff to first “do some solid research before sharing his thoughts on any issue.”

“He was elected by the people to protect and improve the quality of life of people and not to extinguish it,” Diamante lamented, reacting to Pacquiao’s reported statement that the Bible supports his pro-death penalty stance.

“I agree it’s wrong to kill, OK, individually, we’re forbidden from killing … but you can read in the Bible, the authority, meaning the government, is given power to impose death penalty,” Pacquiao told reporters.

Such authority, according to Pacquiao, “is established by God and instituted by God.”

“If you will read Romans 13 and study it carefully, God is giving the authority to impose death penalty to those who commit heinous crimes,” he said.

The world boxing champion-turned-senator made the statement in apparent response to the recent pronouncement by Pope Francis that the death penalty is never admissible and the Church will work “with determination” toward its abolition around the world.

Pacquiao has filed three bills to revive the death penalty but he has agreed to limit the scope to heinous crimes.

The death penalty bills were previously taken up by the Senate committee on justice and human rights headed by Sen. Richard Gordon, but deliberations hit a snag after questions over its implication on treaty obligations of the country was raised.