Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said he is glad to hear President Duterte pushing Congress again to pass the measure imposing the death penalty for drug-related crimes in his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, who carried out the President’s all-out war against drugs, said he believes this will finally give an impetus to the measure which has been languishing in the upper chamber for some time.
“I’m happy that he appealed to Congress for the passage of the death penalty law for drug trafficking because my death penalty bill has been languishing at the referred committee for one year already without actions taken,” Dela Rosa said in a text message to reporters.
“The President’s appeal will give this law a big boost,” he said.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who is against the measure, said the Senate can “try again another shot at it.”
Sotto said there is a better chance the bill will finally have a breakthrough since the President in his speech, only focused on the crimes in Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
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