Month: March 2017

Bam: No rush, no secret votes on death penalty proposal

No railroading, no secret votes.

Sen. Bam Aquino said the Senate must allow the proper legislative process to run its course on the proposal to restore the death penalty.

 “We will not allow it to be rushed. We must ensure that proper debate on the matter be conducted,” said Sen. Bam, the newly designated deputy minority leader.

 In addition, Sen. Bam said senators must reveal their respective votes on the proposal to ensure accountability and transparency.

 “We will not allow votes to be anonymous or hidden and we will ensure accountability among our colleagues,” said Sen. Bam.

  “Bilang mga kinatawan ng mamamayan, dapat panindigan ng bawat senador ang kanilang magiging boto at kung kailangan ipaliwanag ang kanilang posisyon sa taumbayan,” he added.

 Through this, Sen. Bam said the Senate will show that it can still be an independent institution even with the heightened political strife in the country.

The House drew flak after it approved the death penalty on second reading via viva voce vote, or through loud voices.

 Earlier, Sen. Bam declared that the new minority will actively participate in debates once the proposal reaches the Senate floor.

 “Buhay po ang nakasasalalay dito kaya mahalaga na dumaan sa tamang proseso. Sa tingin po namin, dehado na naman ang mga kababayan nating mahihirap sa death penalty kaya tutol po kami rito,” the senator said.

 “I am still hopeful that my fellow senators will not vote across partisan lines and vote with their conscience on this matter. In the end, we may even be enough to take a stand,” he added.

Expect serious debate on death penalty — Bam

The proposal to revive death penalty will be seriously debated once it reaches the Senate plenary, Sen. Bam Aquino assured.

 “The minority will play an active role in the debates and we will make sure that counter perspectives are given a space in the Senate,” said Sen. Bam, who was recently elected deputy minority leader.

 “Filipino lives are at stake here at karamihan pa sa mga ito’y puro mahihirap na Pilipino na kadalasa’y dehado pagdating sa hukuman at sa mata na batas,” he added.

The Committee on Justice recently started hearing proposals to restore the death penalty.

However, the public hearing was indefinitely suspended amid worries that the country might violate the Treaty of International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) it signed in 1986.

 The treaty prevents states from carrying out execution as a form of punishment.

During that hearing, Sen. Bam urged fellow lawmakers to confer with foreign affairs officials regarding international treaties in connection with death penalty reinstatement.

The senator also wants economic managers to speak about the impact of death penalty on jobs and trade agreements entered into by the government in the past.

 “This move will also affect some of the treaties, conventions, and agreements we’ve already signed up to,” Sen. Bam said.

“Napakabigat ng isyung ito. Hindi dapat madaliin ang debate, lalo na’t makikinig ang publiko sa mga argumento sa Senado,” he added.

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