THE PHILIPPINE 5tA

news MONDAY I MAY 20, 2Ol9

penalty: Let's talk

By RAINIER ALLAN RONDA

I The Commission on Human Rights

(CHR) is ready to engage Congress on
discussions about proposals to rein-
state the death penalty.
CHR Cominissioner Karen Gomez-
Dumpit said they are ready to engage
lawmakers "in a frank and factual
conversation about the death penalry"
Dumpit made the statement after
administration lawmakers said they
will prioritize the passage of the
death penaity law in the coming 18th
Congress.
"We are ready to present the inef-
fectiveness of the death penalty and
offer viable programs that result in
crime prevention and lowering crime
incidence. These include police vis-
.., ibiliiy or increasing police to popula-
tion ratios and community vigilance,"
Dumpit said.
"We {u1ly support these initiatives
that do not diminish our principles to
uphold the righi to life," she added.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III
earlier said the proposal to reinstate
capital punishment, particularly,for
high-level drug trafficking, may be
marked as a priority bill in the 18th
Congress.
Dumpit said the Philippines is a
state party to the International Cov-
enant on Ci.vil and Political Rights and
the Second Optional Protocol for the
Abolition of the Death Penalty.
"As a state party to these huriran
rights treaties, we have perpetually
committed not to impose nor reintro-
duce cdpital punishment," she pointed
out.
"The commission does not want
crime to go unpunished. However, the
apprehensiory prosecutiorL conviction
.and punishment of those who have
committed wrongdoings ryust be in ac-
cordance with human rigl'iis standards
and principles," Dumpit explained.
,,
)o46: _ 6"