CONGRESSMAN Antonio “Tony” Cerilles has aired his call anew for review of the death penalty as a punishment to future atrocities committed by public officials who maintain private armies and who kills innocent civilians and members of the press.
All those talk about the rule of law taking course over the perpetrators of the Maguindanao massacre for justice to reign in the end will be made more forceful once the death penalty has been restored, he explained during a meeting with several journalists at his residence last Saturday.
Put in plain words, Cerilles said the impact of the revolting and gruesome incident in Ampatuan, Maguindanao even solicited his own condemnation in the highest terms.
“The United Nations, European Union hasta ang America, halos ang tibuok kalibutan nagkondenar sa maong aksiyon. I think we should share with this sentiment of the people around the world. Kinsa may malipay anang ilang gihimo. That’s not the work of a civilized people,” Cerilles said.
“Ang media is supposed to be impartial and igo ra na sila mo-record og mga events nga tan-aw nila importante kaayo. The media should be protected and be given a kind of protection that anybody will be discouraged to harm them,” added the congressman.
He further said that as a peace-loving person and an advocate for press freedom, such an incident perpetrated by persons who think they are above the law is an eye-opener for lawmakers to consider the merits of reviewing the death penalty.
“Ang nahitabo sa Maguindanao daghan pang angay tan-awon, daghan pang angay i-review alang sa kalinaw sa Mindanao. Hinaot unta nga kini mahimong leksiyon aron sab mahimong malampuson ang pagpuyo nato dinhi sa Mindanao,” he stated.
Cerilles articulated his uncompromising support of the death penalty for the mentioned wrongdoing especially that it smacks of the country’s democratic ideals, violated human rights, promoted armed confrontation and contributed more to the tension happening in the area.
However, Cerilles, who is a three termed representative at present, did not specify if he will campaign for the revival of the said law, which was abolished by President Gloria Arroyo in 2006 after experiencing pressure from the influential Roman Catholic Church.
Capital punishment was originally abolished in 1987, but it was reintroduced in 1993. Since then seven people have been executed.
The congressman, by the way, is running for governor in next year’s polls.
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA
All those talk about the rule of law taking course over the perpetrators of the Maguindanao massacre for justice to reign in the end will be made more forceful once the death penalty has been restored, he explained during a meeting with several journalists at his residence last Saturday.
Put in plain words, Cerilles said the impact of the revolting and gruesome incident in Ampatuan, Maguindanao even solicited his own condemnation in the highest terms.
“The United Nations, European Union hasta ang America, halos ang tibuok kalibutan nagkondenar sa maong aksiyon. I think we should share with this sentiment of the people around the world. Kinsa may malipay anang ilang gihimo. That’s not the work of a civilized people,” Cerilles said.
“Ang media is supposed to be impartial and igo ra na sila mo-record og mga events nga tan-aw nila importante kaayo. The media should be protected and be given a kind of protection that anybody will be discouraged to harm them,” added the congressman.
He further said that as a peace-loving person and an advocate for press freedom, such an incident perpetrated by persons who think they are above the law is an eye-opener for lawmakers to consider the merits of reviewing the death penalty.
“Ang nahitabo sa Maguindanao daghan pang angay tan-awon, daghan pang angay i-review alang sa kalinaw sa Mindanao. Hinaot unta nga kini mahimong leksiyon aron sab mahimong malampuson ang pagpuyo nato dinhi sa Mindanao,” he stated.
Cerilles articulated his uncompromising support of the death penalty for the mentioned wrongdoing especially that it smacks of the country’s democratic ideals, violated human rights, promoted armed confrontation and contributed more to the tension happening in the area.
However, Cerilles, who is a three termed representative at present, did not specify if he will campaign for the revival of the said law, which was abolished by President Gloria Arroyo in 2006 after experiencing pressure from the influential Roman Catholic Church.
Capital punishment was originally abolished in 1987, but it was reintroduced in 1993. Since then seven people have been executed.
The congressman, by the way, is running for governor in next year’s polls.
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA
