Church to anti-death penalty advocates: Exert more effort to influence public

AS the Philippines marks the 16th anniversary of a law that prohibits the death penalty in the country, the Catholic Church challenged anti-death penalty advocates to "exert more effort" in influencing public attitude towards the value of human life.

Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care chairman Bishop Joel Baylon said they need to work hard to change the views of Filipinos who favor the reimposition fot the death penalty.

Baylon lamented that many people still look at death penalty as "just way" of meeting out judgment to those who committed crimes.

"The old 'lex talionis' (an eye for an eye) is still very much present in the mind and in the mindset of many of our people," Baylon said.

"We need to exert more efforts to let our people understand, through different ways, and help them see the dignity of the human person," he added.

The Legazpi prelate made the statement during this year's online general assembly of the Coalition Against Death Penalty (CADP).

Bishop Baylon also encouraged advocates to continue working with the government "in making sure that laws and structures are provided in the defense of human life".

A recent survey conducted by the Social Weather Station (SWS) found that nearly six in every 10 Filipinos agree that the death penalty should be reinstated for heinous crimes.

The poll showed that of the 2,000 respondents nationwide, 59 percent want capital punishment for people proven in court to have committed heinous crimes, while 23 percent disagreed.

Source: TheManila Times