Press Release
May 19, 2008

Zubiri calls for reinstatement of the death penalty:
Zubiri muling pinabubuhay ang parusang kamatayan

On the spate of brutal killings Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri called for the reinstatement of the death penalty related to drug-trafficking and multiple homicide.

"The spectre of certain death will deter even many hardened criminals. It will be a fear greater than just being caught and locked for life in jail. Many terrorists have managed to escape. Or they could feign reformation of character such as parolees who went back to their old criminal ways. Had they been meted out the death penalty, the activities of recidivists would have stopped with finality," Zubiri explained.

He had proposed the reinstatement of the death penalty with the brutal violent death met by employees of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation, the indiscriminate killing of two families of farmers in Calamba Laguna and the murder of a viva hot babe model in Olongapo and her family last month. He had earlier voted against the abolition of the death penalty when the Congress voted to repeal Republic Act 9346 in the 13th Congress.

"Criminals have been known to trade illegal drugs inside the jails and run their illegal drug trafficking networks from the prison which ironically serves as their safe haven from rival drug syndicates. While alive, incorrigible drug lords in jails only need a cellphone to perpetrate their crime."

"The police and military will need an iron hand represented by the death penalty to cope with rising criminality."

"It does not mean that the police and military are letting their guard down. Neither would the reinstatement of the death penalty mean there will be a neglect of the rights of the accused."

"With my bill, we are not opening the doors to capital punishment on several crimes as it was in the past but just limiting it to two heinous crimes - DRUG TRAFFICKING AND MULTIPLE MURDER. Homicide cases and massacres have been on the rise these previous months."

"I will find the means to assure that suspects will still undergo due process and have the service of a lawyer to defend his rights. There will be enough safeguards so that people will not fear that only suspects who are poor and who cannot hire expensive lawyers will be handed the death penalty."

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