Hanging, firing squad or injection: Philippines takes big step towards bringing back death penalty for drug crimes
Opponents voiced anger the Philippines would bring back the death penalty, 11 years after it was revoked, highlighting among many concerns a corrupt justice system that would lead to innocent people being executed
The death penalty bill, along with a proposed measure to punish children as young as nine as adult criminals, are key planks of Duterte’s controversial drug war that has already claimed more than 6,500 lives.
A majority of politicians in the lower house of congress passed a second reading of the bill on Wednesday night, clearing one of the biggest obstacles in proponents’ plans to have make the death penalty legal by May.
A third and final reading still needs to be held next week, although with no more debates both sides agree passage is a formality. Then the Senate, which is similarly dominated by Duterte’s allies, would pass a counterpart bill.
Watch: soaring death tolls, broken families and overcrowded jails
“We have hurdled the most difficult part,” congressman Reynaldo Umali, a sponsor of the bill, said.