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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Gomez eyes death penalty for drug traffickers, scrapping of plea bargains

Gomez eyes death penalty for drug traffickers, scrapping of plea bargains

Published Jul 18, 2022 02:45 pm

Leyte 4th district Rep. Richard Gomez wants to pursue a bill in the 19th Congress that would impose the death penalty on foreign drug traffickers.

(Mark Balmores/ File photo/ MANILA BULLETIN)

On top of this, the neophyte congressman said Monday, July 18 that he wants to do away with plea bargains, which he claims devalues the work of anti-illegal drug authorities.

"I'm about to file a bill in Congress to strengthen yung (the) anti-drug campaign program, at tsaka yung isa (and another one), is to really implement the death penalty on drug trafficking especially to mga foreigners who would bring in drugs to the country," Gomez told CNN Philippines' The Source.

"It has to be very strong, it has to be very stiff yung penalty if you really want to curb yung problem of drugs," he said of his envisioned law, which provides for the use of capital punishment on offenders.

For Gomez, the drug trafficking is a very serious crime.

Asked if the bill he wants to file would solely punish foreigners who bring in narcotics, the movie actor-turned-solon clarified that Filipinos would also be covered by his proposal. However, he said he would leave it Congress to define key terms in his bill, such as what "high-level drug trafficking" is.

Meanwhile, Gomez also made no bones about his disdain for plea bargaining deals in court in connection with drug cases. "I don't like it," he said.

Plea bargains are agreements between defendants and prosecutors in which defendants agree to enter a "guilty" plea to some or all of the charges against them in exchange for concessions from the prosecutors.

"In my experience in Ormoc, mayroong mga nagpe-plea bargaining (there are those who avail of plea bargaining) and I don't like it kasi (because) it's very disheartening sa trabaho ng mga pulis (to a policeman's work).

"Nahuhuli sila, alam mo they have an x number of drugs sa kamay nila tapos magpe-plea bargaining sila na ang lalabas ay minimum lang hawak nila (The suspects get caught with an x number of drugs in their hands and this will turn into a minimum amount after their plea bargaining). It's not really good for police work," the former Ormoc mayor explained.

"It happens in court. And I think these are some of the measures that need to be corrected," Gomez further said. 

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