Any move to revive the death penalty must undergo a comprehensive study, Malacañang said yesterday.
This was Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro’s response when asked to comment on calls to impose capital punishment on corrupt politicians and public officials.
Castro said the reimposition of the death penalty should not be rushed, underscoring the importance of first ensuring that the five pillars of the justice system are working effectively and fairly.
Castro also warned against the risk of wrongful convictions in a flawed system, citing past instances wherein people admitted to planting evidence or fabricating accusations.
‘What if the person is innocent and was framed and evidence was just planted? He can face the death penalty. It would be unfortunate for those who are innocent,’ she said.
The Philippines abolished the death penalty in 1987, becoming the first country in Asia to eliminate capital punishment.
It was reinstated in 1993 through Republic Act 7659 under then President Fidel Ramos, in response to rising criminality.
In 1996, Republic Act 8177 was enacted, designating lethal injection as the method of execution.
A moratorium on the death penalty was declared in 2000 by then president Joseph Estrada. His successor, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, maintained the moratorium and signed Republic Act 9346 in 2006, which once again abolished the death penalty.