Politicians and law enforcers who became drug lords should be meted the death penalty as first offenders as they had taken their oaths of office to follow and respect Philippine laws.
Senator Robinhood Padilla emphasized this view after coming out in the open supporting the bill of Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police (PNP), seeking a renewal of the death penalty law by filing a new bill targeting large-scale illegal drug traffickers.
Dela Rosa earlier expressed high hope that his new bill would finally get the approval of Congress, especially with Sen. Francis Tolentino becoming the next chairman of the Senate committee on justice and human rights.
“Sa akin, una kung ako ay papanig diyan, hindi ako papayag na may mahirap na first offender bibitayin natin (To me, I support it but I am not in favor that the poor shall be meted the death penalty as first offender). No way,” he said.
“Kasi dapat iba ang sentensya sa mahirap na first offender doon sa mayayaman na walang problema sa kahirapan na pumasok sa pagiging drug lord (The sentence on the poor shall be different from the rich because the rich is not poor when he became a drug lord),” he explained.
“Ang politician tumanggap yan ng oath na siya magbibigay protection at mag-aalaga sa harap ng Diyos at batas ng tao na pangalagaan ang Pilipino. (The politician took an oath to give equal protection and service before God and Philippine laws to take care of his countrymen). Talagang nandoon ang lahat ng kadahilanan para bitayin ka (All the reasons are there to impose the death penalty),” he added.
“Pero ang mahirap, no way (But the poor?, no way). Lalo ang first offender (particularly the first offender). Di ako papayag niyan (I won’t allow it),” he stressed.
“Okay sa akin ang narco politician at pulis na pumasok sa ganoong negosyo (I favor the death penalty to be imposed on narco-politicians and policemen who knew the consequences when they entered the illegal drug trade)., ang mayayaman na pumasok sa ganoon, dapat lang (It is but right to impose it on the rich). Pero ang mahihirap? (But the poor?),” he asked.