Manny Pacquiao on Monday addressed the Senate floor for the first time and called for the revival of the death penalty to reduce drug related crimes.
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Pacquiao, in his first privilege speech as a senator, said that he has filed a bill to impose the death penalty and to increase penalties on specific heinous crimes.
Philippine boxing icon-turned-senator Manny Pacquiao used the Bible to defend restoring the death penalty for drug traffickers as “approved by God”, backing a controversial proposal of President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Having read the Bible on a regular basis, I am convinced that God is not just a God of mercy, but he is also a God of justice”, said Pacquiao before citing series of biblical verses. “That’s what the Bible says”, Pacquiao said.
‘We must speak to these criminal minds in the only language they understand, ‘ he said.
“It can be done by kicking the chair and it’s done”, Pacquiao said.
‘They must understand that our government will put a stop to impunity.
Questioned over what manner he would like to see the punishment reinstated, Pacquiao responded by suggesting either the firing squad or hanging. It must stop now, ‘ he said.
He and Duterte are political allies and both hail from the southern Philippines.
Duterte’s “shoot to kill” war on illegal drugs has resulted in more than 600 suspected drug dealers and users being killed, and more than 100,000 people have surrendered to police authorities during the first month of campaign.
The Philippines abolished the death penalty in 2006 following staunch opposition from the Catholic Church, the religion of 80 percent of Filipinos.
Far from his laid back image at the House of Representatives, a combative Senator Manny Pacquiao yesterday pushed for the reimposition of the death penalty and reiterated the necessity of imposing it as a capital punishment for drug trafficking.
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Not only would the death penalty serve as a form of retribution against lives destroyed by illegal drugs, it would also serve as deterrent for individuals thinking of committing heinous crimes.
