Bam on death penalty: Di pa tapos ang laban

Hindi pa tapos ang laban!

A senator commended the 54 lawmakers who voted against the revival of the death penalty even as he assured that the proposal will go through the proverbial eye of the needle in the Senate.

"Kahanga-hanga ang kanilang katapangan at matibay na paninindigan laban sa death penalty," said Sen. Bam Aquino, the deputy minority leader.

"Nabigo man sila, hindi pa tapos ang laban dahil inaasahan nating dadaan ang panukala sa butas ng karayom sa Senado," the senator said.

The proposal to restore death penalty hurdled the House on third and final reading Tuesday after getting 217 affirmative votes from lawmakers.

Earlier, Sen. Bam urged the Senate to allow the proper legislative process to run its course on the proposal.

"Kailangang dumaan sa tamang debate at tamang proseso ang panukala at dapat mapakinggan ang lahat ng panig sa isyu," the senator said, adding that the new minority will actively participate in the discussion.

With just six members, Sen. Bam said the minority vote is not sufficient but he expressed confidence that fellow senators will cross party lines and follow the dictate of their conscience on the matter.

"The minority votes clearly aren't enough but I'm hoping there will be enough senators to vote this measure down. This should be a conscience vote and not done because of political affiliations," Sen. Bam stressed.