A death sentence in a principally-Christian society has always been and will always be an extremely contentious and divisive issue.
Most people cannot swallow the idea that this society can afford to terminate the life of a wrongdoer instead of reforming him.
However, there are also the victims’ families of heinous crimes who will accept nothing less than death for the person who caused them so much misery and indignity.
With President Duterte’s stance on the death penalty as a way to exact payment from the executors of monstrous crimes, campaigners for this kind of punishment might just succeed.
My stake on the issue is plain and simple, and clearly stated on two verses of the Bible: James 4:12 “There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” and Romans 12:19 “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’”
In layman’s terms, we do not have the right to take another person’s life, however sinful he is.
Another way of saying it: we should not take the law into our own hands because we are sinners all.
Nevertheless, let me state three more reasons why the death penalty should not be carried out here in our country:
First. The death penalty endangers innocent people. Considering the current state of the Philippine justice system, there’s just too much risk that an innocent person who was wrongfully accused can be executed. To kill an innocent person is ethically offensive; it is a risk that Filipinos should not take. Unlike prison sentences, the death penalty is permanent and irrevocable.
Second. There is a better way to help/appease the families of murder victims. Families of murder victims go through rigorous ordeal and loss, however, executions of the perpetrators do not help the families heal nor end their pain.
In fact, the extended process before the execution stretches the suffering and distress of the family. The truth is, families of murder/rape victims would benefit more if funds that are being used for the expensive process of executions are redirected instead to counseling and other types of assistance.
Third. The death penalty has never proven to deter crime. As stated by the UN General Assembly, “there is no conclusive evidence of the deterrent value of the death penalty” (UNGA Resolution 65/206).
It is worth mentioning that in many retentionist states, the efficacy and efficiency of the death penalty to prevent crime is being critically questioned by an incessantly increasing number of law enforcement practitioners.
In 1996, a research conducted for the UN to establish the relationship between the death penalty and homicide rates concluded: “Research has failed to provide scientific proof that executions have a greater deterrent effect than life imprisonment. Such proof is unlikely to be forthcoming. The evidence as a whole still gives no positive support to the deterrent hypothesis. The key to real and true deterrence is to increase the likelihood of detection, arrest, and conviction. The death penalty is a harsh punishment, but it is not harsh on crime.”
Finally, let me quote Art. II, Sec 11 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution: “The State values the dignity of every human person, and guarantees full respect for human rights”.
The proviso is in accordance with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights — which the Philippines has endorsed — guaranteeing that every human being has the intrinsic right to life.
This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life.
In behalf of the Diocesan Council of the Laity, the Diocesan Organization of Renewal Movements & Communities (for which I represent as president), I would like to declare and to reiterate that we are united with the people of God in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Congressional Districts of Negros Oriental, and the lone Congressional District of Siquijor in our opposition to any proposal or moves to restore the death penalty in the Philippines.
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Author’s email: wea_129@yahoo.com
