PNP backs lethal injection for death penalty

July 25, 2019

The head of the Philippine National Police ( PNP) on Thursday expressed his support for death penalty through lethal injection. 

"We are for that. We support that. Remember we are not excused here. The PNP and also the president said about corruption in the different departments of the government. So we have to really make sure that we are without fault especially now that we are going to have death penalty," Police General Oscar Albayalde said in a TV interview. 

President Rodrigo Duterte, in his State of the Nation Address, asked Congress to reimpose the death penalty. The death penalty was scrapped in 2006.

Albayalde said the death penalty will help in addressing the issue on illegal drugs and possibly other crimes. 

"Probably death penalty will be a deterrent to these big time drug peddlers or financiers," he said. 

He added that crimes in relation to "illegal drugs and also terrorism and probably other crimes such as murder and rape of minors," are some crimes he considers must be punishable under the death penalty. 

Meanwhile, as opposed to Senator Bato Dela Rosa's proposal on firing squad, Albayalde said he prefers other means. 

"Well it doesn't matter probably but you know we are civilized people here so probably lethal injection will suffice," he explained. 

Albayalde also defended during the interview that the re imposition of death penalty for crimes in relation to illegal drugs is not anti-poor.

"The big-time drug peddlers are not the poor. These are the people that have connections, that have billions of not only pesos but probably dollars," Albayalde said.  Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS