Senator Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla wants the death penalty for law enforcers and elective officials involved in the illegal drug trade through Senate Bill 2217.              Sen. Robinhood “Robin” Padilla (Senate PRIB Photo)
Padilla said the leniency of current laws has caused a "sorry state of affairs where law enforcers are now unafraid to be involved in illegal drugs," and that government must "respond with a staunch and decisive measure" by changing the law. "It is an incontrovertible truth that the illegal drug trade and prevalence become so entrenched and systematic that its rot sets in the very core of our public institutions,’’ he pointed out. “To reinstate the rule of law and rebuild the trust of the Filipino people, we must re-impose the death penalty as a strong deterrent to grave offenders from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), any uniformed or law enforcement agency, or an elective official who are entrusted with the public power by the people," he added. The bill seeks to amend Sections 27 and 28 of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2022, seeking to impose the death penalty when the offender is an officer or member of the AFP, PNP "or any other uniformed or law enforcement agency.” The measure states that any elective local or national official found to have benefited from the proceeds of drug trafficking or received financial or material contributions or donations from those found guilty of trafficking dangerous drugs shall suffer the penalty of death without prejudice to removal from office and perpetually disqualified from holding government positions. But the death sentence shall not be inflicted upon a woman while pregnant or one year after delivery; or any person over 70 years of age, it stated. Last week, Padilla filed a bill amending Sec 4 of RA 10845, known as the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act, thereby imposing death penalty when the offense is committed by personnel of the BOC (Bureau of Customs), AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), PNP (Philippine National {Police) or any other uniformed or law enforcement agency. ‘’Bakit ko po ginawa ito? (Why did I do this?) Dahil sa atin pong maiksing pagdinig ngayon sabi nga ng katabi ko hindi parang may mafia kundi may mafia na sa loob (Because during our hearing, the one seated to me does not only appear to be connected to the Mafia but the Mafia, itself),’’ he said during a public hearing by the Senate agriculture and food committee on the unabated smuggling of agriculture produce. ”We have to send a strong message that the large-scale agricultural smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, and cartel of agricultural products perpetrated by the officers and employees of the Bureau of Customs, are heinous and a threat to the very foundation of our society. Hence, there is a compelling reason to impose death penalty," he said in his bill.