Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa is keen on the revival of the death penalty in the country, saying that convicted drug lords were even the ones who pushed for it.
Dela Rosa revealed in recent interviews that during his stint as head of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), some of the inmates actually approached him to suggest the revival of the death penalty as deterrent not only to the proliferation of illegal drugs but other heinous crimes as well.
“Convicted drug lords were even the ones who called for the implementation of death penalty.”
“Sa aking experience as director general ng BuCor, nakausap ko ang mga convicted drug lords, some of them were foreigners, isa-isa sila na mag approach sa akin, pasimple lang silang nagsabi sa akin na sir para matapos ang drug problem sa Pilipinas kailangan meron kayong death penalty. Alam mo sir kaya namin gustong gusto maghakot ng droga papasok dito sa Pilipinas ay dahil wala kayong death penalty,” the legislator said.
“Ngayon kasi nakikita natin na kahit na gaano ka-intense ang ating war on drugs ay meron at meron pa rin nakapapasok na supply ng shabu sa ating bansa, malinaw lang na kaya hindi sila (drug syndicates) takot ay wala tayong parusang bitay,” the lawmaker further noted.
The senator said that based on his accounting as former BuCor chief, there were at least 160 convicted inmates in the national prisons serving their sentences because of illegal drugs.
“We have at least 160 convicted incarcerated at the national prison.”
“We have at least 160 convicted incarcerated at the national prison at di tayo sigurado na huminto na sila sa negosyo, marami pa rin dyan ang dumidiskarte. Alam naman natin na noon ay ginamit nila yang bilibid bilang kanilang operations center. Diyan nanggagaling ang decision making para sa pag-import at distribution, sila nagko-control. At kung meron na tayong death penalty, hindi na sila makapagpapatuloy sa kanilang masamang gawain,” he reiterated.
Dela Rosa said that death by firing squad could effectively send a firm message to those unscrupulous groups and individuals not to do their illegal acts in the country.
“We prefer death by firing squad to send a very strong message to the drug traffickers that they could not do their illegal business here in the Philippines, papatayin namin kayo, firing squad kayo pag ginawa niyo yan dito sa amin,” he stressed.
Dela Rosa then proceeded to admit that he knows that there will be a strong resistance against the use of a firing squad and said that he will leave it the implementing agencies of the bill to decide.
Dela Rosa has filed Senate Bill (SB) 226 seeking to revive the death penalty for illegal drug traffickers and manufacturers. The proposed measure seeks to mete out the death penalty with a fine ranging from P500,000 to P10 million to those who will import, manufacture, cultivate or culture plants classified as dangerous drugs.
The bill also aims to “hamper the growth of foreign syndicates and to address the illicit drug trafficking prevailing in the region”.
Dela Rosa will officially chair the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs on the opening of the 18th Congress on July 22.