FORMER Deputy Speaker and Buhay Hayaang Yumabong (BUHAY) Party-list Chairman Lito Atienza on Wednesday reiterated that the death penalty is not the “solution” in deterring the commission of any crime, be it big or small; and saying those who are seeking the death penalty do not realize that doing so would only aggravate the situation.

“We need a more efficient criminal justice system, where the fiscal is rendering correct opinions on cases filed before them, the judges should likewise behave in that manner and all the way up to the Supreme Court. Kailangan lahat nagtutulungan para umandar nang maayos ang ating criminal justice system,” Atienza said.

“Dapat mahuli muna ang mga kriminal at ma-prosecute nang tama at hindi nakakawala. Ngayon, meron pa ba tayong naririnig tungkol sa mga drug pushers sa baba? Wala na, kadalasan patay,” Atienza stressed.

According to Atienza, a staunch pro-life, reimposing the death penalty will only spawn more violence.

“Lalo lamang lalala ang sitwasyon. Ang mangyayari sa bansa natin ay patayan dito, patayan doon. Violence begets more violence. The culture of violence will only get worse if we do that. This is why I beg to disagree with Senator (Ronald) Dela Rosa, he is reacting like a typical law enforcer today. Ang problema is that we are lacking efficient law enforcement, kaya ang mga kriminal dito sa Pilipinas ay palakas nang palakas ang loob,” he pointed out.

“This is what I have been saying for so many years now. Even though I am no longer an incumbent Congressman, having represented BUHAY Party-list during the last three Congresses and having reached the full three terms allowed under the law, I will not shy away from the discussions in this very basic and important issue in the lives of Filipinos,” Atienza said in a radio interview on calls to restore the death penalty in our country.

Atienza cited the previous administration’s “all-out war on drugs”, which resulted in the deaths of many suspects, did not help solve the country’s drug problem.

“Hindi naman na-solve ang drug problem natin noong panahon ni Pangulong Duterte when most of those involved in drug cases ended up dead, instead of being properly apprehended and prosecuted. Nagtuloy ang drug distribution kasi tuloy-tuloy ang pasok ng droga sa mga pier natin. Hindi naman napaparusahan or nadedemanda. Most of the time defective ang kaso kaya pagdating sa korte, talo! Corruption in our law enforcement and criminal justice system should be stopped,” Atienza stated.

“Hangga’t merong tinatanggap na pera ay hindi makukulong ang mga dapat makulong. Kaya nakakawala kasi sa simula pa lang ng kaso, pag-raid sa lugar, gagawin nang defective ang procedures para talo sa kaso. Tapos lalapitan yung suspect at sasabihang magbayad na lang kayo para makawala kayo. Siyempre gusto ng pusher makawala, magbabayad. Makulong man siya sandali lang makakalabas na agad,” he said.

The BUHAY Party-list chair said, “If we want real change, we should start with ourselves. Let’s take the election system very seriously and we should elect the correct officials. Piliin natin mabuti ang ating mga inihahalal, hindi yung iboboto lang natin dahil nagbigay ng pera. Kaya it all begins with the election process dahil demokrasya tayo. Nasa halalan ang pinakaimportanteng kapangyarihan ng taongbayan for whatever reforms they want in government.”

“Pero hanggang nananalo yung mga hindi karapat-dapat, ay tuloy-tuloy ang kultura ng korapsyon at karahasan. Tapos ang ihahain nila sa atin na solusyon ay dagdagan pa ang karahasan by re-imposing the death penalty. Lalo lang lalala. ‘Pag pinatay ang suspect, hindi na natin malalaman sino ang mastermind. The death penalty is an easy way out for criminals. Life imprisonment is a more fitting punishment for them. Kaya forgive me if I have to react and immediately disagree with those who are shouting that the death penalty is the solution. This will not solve the problem!” Atienza stressed.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ryan Ponce Pacpaco