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Arguments in
favor of death penalty
(The
Freeman) | Updated December 12, 2016 -
12:00am
We stand
behind the president on the death penalty as one and only Christian solution to
crimes. This is with due respect to all those who oppose it vehemently, which
includes the church, a number of peoples' organizations, NGO's and many groups
and individuals, even including my youngest daughter who passionately believes
with all her heart in restorative justice.
We are aware
of the religious and spiritual arguments that repose only in the hands of God
the power and prerogative to terminate a human being's life. We are also aware
that the Pope and all the bishops and priests and nuns are taking a strong
position against the proposal to reinstate into our penal books the death
penalty.
In fact, we
also believe in reformative and restorative justice. More than 99 percent of
the convicted criminals have the potentials for reforms. That is why we still
have a good number of penal institutions because most of our convicts shall be
sentenced to imprisonment, ranging from the shortest sentence to the ultimate
life sentence and reclusion perpetua.
The years in
the national penitentiary shall afford the convicts a chance to be reformed and
be rehabilitated. They are given the opportunity to change the course of their
destiny by opting, after serving sentence, to go back to the mainstream of
society and choose to do what is good and what is right.
In addition,
we even have the probation system in our justice system. First offenders who
have committed less serious felonies are, despite their conviction by final
judgment, given the option to apply for probation.If and when accepted, the
convicts are spared from imprisonment. They are allowed to go back to their
respective community and there manifest their having reformed.
Upon being
convinced that he has changed his life for the better, the probationer shall be
completely released by the court. Thus, our current laws do give criminal
offenders all the options, short of imprisonment, under appropriate
circumstances provided by law.
And so, we
submit that there are convicts who can reform. But one percent perhaps or even
less number of criminals, those heinous criminals, may have forfeited any
chance for reforms and rehabilitation, especially those who are recidivists and
habitual offenders. We believe that there are people who do not deserve any
liberality by the courts, especially those who murdered innocent children,
raped their own daughters, and mothers and grandmothers, those who make crimes
their business and means of acquiring wealth, fame and glory,those who have
destroyed many lives and properties and those who pose a grave danger to peace
and order and even place the security of the state under imminent risk.
The move to
reinstate death penalty does not mean that those who can still be reformed will
also be sent to the gallows or hanged. This is only giving the courts an option
for a less than one percent of all convicts, an option which they may not at
all avail of. And whenever they do impose this capital penalty, their judgment
is not final.
All decisions
imposing the death sentence are automatically reviewable by the highest court.
There are
death penalties in many states in USA and here in Asia, in Singapore, Malaysia,
Indonesia, China, Saudi Arabia and in almost all Middle East countries.
We need this
as an effective deterrent against those who blatantly commit heinous crimes.
This is an extreme measure, not a day-to-day thing.
Those who
oppose death penalty should think of a better option to discourage the
commission of capital offenses. But for me, this is it.
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