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PACQUIAO BILLS SEEK REVIVAL OF DEATH PENALTY; HARSHER PENALTIES FOR DRUG CRIMES, RAPE AND KIDNAPPING PhilBoxing.com Tue, 05 Jul 2016 SENATOR Emmanuel D. Pacquiao files his first 10 bills today as he officially commences work in the upper chamber. Three out of the proposed measures, seek to revive the imposition of death penalty for heinous crimes involving dangerous drugs, kidnapping and aggravated rape. Sen. Pacquiao believes imposing death punishment on these crimes has both the legal and biblical bases. ?Death penalty, to me, is a just retribution for a crime committed by a certain person. Gumawa ka ng kasalanan, kailangang pagbayaran mo. But the punishment must be commensurate to the crime committed,? Sen. Pacquiao said. His three priority bills, consistent with this administration?s goal to wage an all-out war against drugs and other forms of crime, seek to amend R.A. 9346, which prohibits the imposition of death penalty in the country. In a statement, Sen. Pacquiao said he intentionally filed separate bills for the above mentioned heinous crimes because he wants these issues to be given greater and immediate consideration. ON DANGEROUS DRUGS Sen. Pacquiao sees the problem on drug trafficking and drug abuse in the country have grown into an emergency situation. Hence, he wants it addressed immediately and decisively. Research gathered by the Office of Sen. Pacquiao shows that the Philippines has become a haven for drug syndicates because of legal infirmity and laxity in implementing laws against illegal drugs. Worse, data reveals that some officials expected to suppress the trafficking and proliferation of illegal drugs end up the protectors. In this light, Sen. Pacquiao wants the country to adopt a law that will provide harsher penalties to traffickers and impose well-defined punitive action against the law enforcers who protect and coddle these violators. The bill, seeking the restoration of capital punishment for drug-related crimes, also proposes amendments to some provisions of RA 9165, known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Under the Pacquiao Bill, the penalty of life imprisonment to death and a fine ranging from P1 million to P10 million shall be imposed to a person who shall import into the country or force, intimidate, direct, instruct or cause another person to bring into the Philippines any dangerous drug, regardless of quantity and purity involved. Higher penalties also await those who shall import or cause another person to bring into the Philippines any controlled precursor and essential chemical. Protectors and coddlers of this crime will be slapped with the penalty of life imprisonment to death and a fine ranging from P500 thousand to P1 million pesos. Meanwhile, those involved in the sale and distribution, maintenance of den, dive or resort, and those who manufacture dangerous drugs will also face higher penalties. Those who will be caught in possession of 500 grams or more of marijuana or 10 grams or more of other dangerous drugs such as opium, heroin, ?shabu? and ?ecstasy,? among others, will face the penalty of life imprisonment to death and a fine ranging from P1 million to P10 million pesos. Moreover, those involved in the cultivation or culture of plants classified as dangerous shall also face higher penalties. ON AGGRAVATED RAPE For him, there is nothing more appalling than the crime that disregard both the honor and life of the victim. Hence, Sen. Pacquiao proposes a measure that supports the duty of the State to protect its people from those who have lost their moral values. Under the proposed measure, Sen. Pacquiao wants Art. 335 of the Revised Penal Code amended. Those who will be found guilty of committing rape shall be punished by reclusion perpetua. If the crime is committed with the use of a deadly weapon or by two or more persons, the penalty shall be reclusion perpetua to death. If in any case the victim becomes insane, the penalty shall be death. When the crime is attempted and a homicide is committed, the penalty shall be reclusion perpetua to death. ON KIDNAPPING The recent upsurge in the killing of kidnap victims by terrorists and the continuing existence of kidnap-for-ransom gangs are the reasons cited by Sen. Pacquiao on why he filed a bill seeking death for the perpetrators. Sen. Pacquiao says it has become alarming that kidnappers victimize not only the wealthy but also members of ordinary families nowadays. The menace has also brought shame to the Philippines as domestic terror groups endanger foreign nationals in their effort to get money that can fund more nefarious activities. Sen. Pacquiao stands to secure the Filipino people, as well as, foreign expatriates and tourists, from the threat of kidnappers by strengthening the State?s no-ransom policy and enacting a law that imposes a penalty approximating the value of the lives that the crime endangers. His proposed bill seeks to amend Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code, imposing the penalty of death to those who commit the crime of kidnapping or detention to further the act or purpose of insurgency against the State, among others. OTHER MEASURES Meanwhile, also included in his initial bills are the following measures: ? An Act mandating the Philippine overseas employment administration (POEA) to publish, disseminate and update a handbook on the rights and responsibilities of migrant workers, amending for the purpose republic act no. 8042, otherwise known as the ?migrant workers and overseas Filipinos act of 1995,? as amended; ? An Act creating the Philippine Boxing Commission thereby strengthening the country?s standing in boxing sports, ensuring the welfare of Filipino boxers, and providing funds therefor; ? An Act providing for the restoration of mandatory military training for all Grade 11 and grade 12 students by reinstating Sections 38 and 39 of Republic Act No. 7077, otherwise known as the ?Citizen Armed Force or Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act?; ? An Act granting Maternity Leave Benefits equivalent to One Hundred Eighty (180) days or Six (6) months to all women workers in the government and private sectors; ? An Act establishing the Wireless Internet access program in all State Universities and Colleges in the country and appropriating funds therefor; ? An Act providing for the establishment of a Community Fitness Center in every barangay nationwide and appropriating funds therefor; ? An Act increasing the composition of barangay officials, amending for the purpose Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as ?the Local Government Code of 1991?, as amended. Photo: Senator Manny Pacquiao with the reporters covering the Senate beat. Pacquiao, accompanied by his Chief of Staff Krista Gem Mercado, toured the Senate last Monday to meet with the Senate officers and staffs, including the media. Photo by Aquiles Zonio. |
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