Lamenting that current laws have so far failed to deter offenses relating to illegal drugs, Senator Robin Padilla has filed Senate Bill 2217 seeking the death penalty for law enforcers and elective officials involved in the drug trade.
Padilla, in his bill, 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 the government must “respond with a staunch and decisive measure” by changing the law.
“The leniency of current laws has caused a sorry state of affairs where law enforcers are now unafraid to be involved in illegal drugs.”
“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. 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, the Philippine National Police, any uniformed or law enforcement agency, or an elective official who are entrusted with the public power by the people,” the legislator explained.
“The illegal drug trade and prevalence become so entrenched and systematic that its rot sets in the very core of our public institutions.”
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”.
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.
