One huge reason why criminals commit crimes in wild abandon here in the Philippines is because they always think and feel they can get away with it.
A tougher stance on crime is, therefore, required to implement real change.
The death penalty may not totally and absolutely wipe out crime. I am realistic enough to recognize that. However, this country has been famished for some genuine change when it comes to matters of justice, that perchance, this could be a very good first step.
I am aware that committing to capital punishment also means committing to being able to mete out justice impartially and correctly.
Meaning, when a man is asked to pay the ultimate price of his crime, we need to be unquestionably certain that he is 101 percent guilty.
That is the one stumbling block that the death penalty (and those in favor of it like me) will face, once it is implemented. Not only are offenders not petrified of the consequences of their actions in this country, they also feel that they will get away come prosecution time. This is true especially if they have money.
In this country, we need to face the fact that money talks, even when caught red-handed, crooks manage to buy their way out.
If the death penalty is once again implemented (I say ‘once again’ because it has been done during the time of the Prophets, the time of Jesus, during Rizal’s time, and even in the 70s), we need to be sure that real justice is meted out. That is the biggest challenge that legislators, lawyers and judges need to face and resolve.
Pragmatically speaking, the road to improving the Philippine justice system is without doubt going to be very time-consuming and extremely wearisome. In the process, corruption must be eliminated.
I believe though that if the death penalty is combined with an unprejudiced and dependable system, it will do more good than harm.
After all, why take the side of the criminals who walk the streets and commit other crimes instead of the victims who have lost loved ones, a possibly good future, and have had their lives changed forever?
It is about time that perpetrators of heinous crimes fear the consequences of their actions. It is time to bring back the Old Testament message of “an eye for an eye.” It is high time for criminals to again have something to be terrified about.
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Author’s email: legis616821@gmail.com
