On Duterte's call to reimpose death penalty
Nancy: 'Kamatayan pa rin ba ang kailangan pag-usapan?'
...says return of capital punishment does not serve any purpose in midst of pandemic

In an interview today, Sen. Nancy Binay questioned the timing of the President's call on lawmakers to reimpose the death penalty while the people are struggling to live in the midst of the pandemic.

Asked about her stand on death penalty: "Unless maayos yung justice system natin, kawawa yung mahihirap. They can't afford the best lawyers. There's always that, hindi magiging patas ang hustisya hanggang hindi naaayos (ang sistema)," the senator pointed out.

According to Binay, only the wealthy and powerful defendants can afford the best criminal defense lawyers to get a lesser sentence or escape conviction. Without the necessary reforms in the justice system, those who cannot afford a decent defense lawyer will always be dispossessed and never be treated fairly.

"Sa aking yung timing din eh. Everyday there are reports na 20 ang namatay today, the next day 30, 40... We need to talk about kung paano tayo mabubuhay. And by discussing death penalty, kamatayan pa rin ba ang kailangan pag-uusapan? The conversation will shift towards death again when there's so much death happening around us. Para sa akin, at the moment, mag-focus muna tayo kung paano tayo mabubuhay, at kung paano natin bubuhayin ang ating mga kababayan," Binay said, adding that reinstating capital punishment is not among the Senate's priority measures.

Binay has consistently been vocal against the possible revival of the death penalty, and added that she believes there is a need to reform the country's law enforcement and judicial systems, and prioritizing death penalty in the middle of a pandemic does not serve any purpose in addressing people's daily subsistence, or protecting the poor, or promoting the sanctity of life.