
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he is only in favor of the death penalty for persons who committed murder, but not for other crimes.
“If you took away somebody’s life, especially murder, yes I am in favor of that”, Lacson said on Wednesday, Jan. 22.
Lacson was reacting to House Bill 11211 or the proposed Death Penalty for Corruption Act filled by Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Khymer Adan Olaso.
The measure seeks to impose the death penalty by firing squad for public officials convicted of corruption, malversation of public funds, and plunder.
“Despite the existence of numerous laws aimed at combating graft, malversation, and plunder, the persistence of these crimes suggests that current measures are insufficient to deter public officials from engaging in corrupt practices,” Olaso said in the explanatory note of the bill released on Wednesday.
Olaso said the misuse of public funds undermines public trust and deprives citizens of essential services.
The proposed legislation applies to all government officials, from the president to the lowest barangay officer, as well as members of the military and police, he said.
The bill, according to Olaso, incorporates safeguards to ensure due process.
Convictions must be affirmed by the Supreme Court, undergo automatic review, and allow the accused to exhaust all legal remedies before the death penalty is carried out.
Olaso said the measure aims to restore public trust in government institutions, deter potential offenders, and ensure that justice is served for the Filipino people “who bear the brunt of corruption’s devastating impact”.*with a report from PNA