Two city councilors have favored the re-imposition of death penalty as they claimed that most Davaoeños also agree with it.
Davao City Councilors said majority of the Davaoeños will surely agree on the re-imposition of the death penalty given the previous crimes including rape and kidnapping in the city despite the tight security.
“I go with the death penalty. Look what is happening now, there’s two or three years old being raped. Indeed the problem in drug addiction resulted to crime and corruption and this death penalty includes plunder and heinous crime,” said City Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang during a City Council media briefing on Wednesday.
Dayanghirang recalled the 1989 hostage drama at the Metrodiscom detention center in Camp Leonor, now the Davao City Police Office, where five hostages and 16 inmates were killed in a siege after the group led by prisoner Felipe Pugoy took hostage members of the Joyful Assembly of God during a prayer service.
“You can just imagine the rape, death and the only thing to deter this is to impose death penalty, so I will not be surprised if Davao City will support it,” Dayanghirang said.
Councilor J. Melchor Quitain, a lawyer, is also certain that Davaoeños will be supporting the bill since the city has always been known for its strict security policy and law-abiding citizens.
However, both councilors suggested to improve the justice system in the Philippines.
Dayanghirang said hiring competent Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) lawyers would be very helpful for the poor in defending themselves in the court. Quitain also added that “the ones that will be appointed must undergo a very rigorous process.”
During the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Rodrigo Duterte once again called to bring back death penalty for heinous crimes related to drugs and plunder.
