Do You Support Death Penalty For The Rapist?

By Alon Calinao Dy: Every day, more and more men engage in sexual crimes due to the heavy influence of illegal drug use, alcohol abuse, and watching pornography. Because there is no death penalty in the Philippines, rape victims who should be protected by our authorities are often afraid to pursue the complaints in the tribunal against their perpetrators. 

I'd seen many rape victims appeared terrified before a trial, especially if they face influential violators who have more connections and money to pay for a settlement.

In the Philippines, we have many activist groups like Akbayan and Gabriela that fight for the women's rights and seek for a fair trial among these victimized women. But it is not just a group of women who are sexually abused, but also a number of men who are not properly reported to the authorities.

There are a lot of supporters who campaign that it is time to bring back the death penalty in the country. Sometimes, these influential perpetrators are not being charged for the criminal offenses they have committed because they know a local judge or they can pay large amounts of money.

Though no laws would grant to kill those rapists who are caught in the act, the locals should think ways on how to decrease the crimes on the streets. If the death punishment is the only solution for this, then our authorities should act on it and let it happen in order to save many lives.

It is unusual anymore what's happening these days in our country. I couldn't watch TV due to a large act of rape cases in the Philippines. I'm simply an ordinary citizen expressing my thoughts, as I have observed, lots of people wish to bring back the capital punishment in the country since the women's rights are often violated with no prompt solutions.

I understand the need of the death penalty when I first published my article Do You Agree With This Kind of Penalization For The Rapist? since thousands of people all over the world agree with me that it is about time for this kind of punishment, especially here in the Philippines.

Another issue that concerned me is the opposite views of our church and other religions who are so-called Pro-life.  As a matter of fact, I always honor the essential of life, but the sudden rise of rape victims with homicide nowadays, opens my eyes to see the reality that these victimized women don't deserve these inhumane acts. Will these religious leaders bring back the innocent lives that these criminals have taken?

Of course, I do have a huge regard for these religious people. I admire them when they preach the gospel of God and when they teach our children about the importance of forgiveness and love. I look up to them because they are the people of God.

However, the Philippines has had a significant increase number of criminals over the years. These law offenders do not respect the value of life and do not care to anyone even if he is a high priest, for they can kill whoever they want to eliminate and make it a point that it becomes an ordinary thing for them.

Anyone can be a prey or a target. That's why it is time to let them know that our government upholds a strong law that condemns heinous crimes and instill a great fear for those people who commit criminal activities such as rape with homicide, murder, drug-trafficking, etc.

Are You in Favor of Death Penalty in the Philippines?

By Alon Calinao Dy: I worked in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, for nearly five years in total where the death penalty (also called capital punishment) was applied to prevent or reduce heinous crimes and drug trafficking. I should say it is effective as there are less reported crimes in these regions every year.

In the Philippines, murder is one of the most grievous crimes committed by people who disregard the value of life. In these past few weeks, a number of cases of killings of innocent people have been reported and most criminals can easily blot out and nowhere to find.

In my previous article, why Philippines needs more CCTV cameras, I think the government should put in more CCTV security systems on the streets to easily catch these lawbreakers. As well, it  is about time to talk about the death penalty. Just review all these grave crimes that happened this year and I am sure there is still a lot of them that have not been reported to the proper authorities.

Last June 12, an international Filipino race car driver Enzo Pastor was shot dead in Quezon City by unidentified gunmen, now the suspect is gunman PO2 Edgar Angel; the businessman Domingo De Guzman and Pastor's wife Dahlia were also associated with the murder.

Last August 14, a 26-year-old woman victim named Anria Espiritu was raped before she was obliterated due to multiple stab wounds by unknown people in Calumpit, Bulacan.

On the same date, a woman from General Trias 2, Cavite, was dragged into her room and raped before the suspected men robbed her home and stole her car.

Last September  8, a 7-year-old female child was raped and killed  by three suspected drug addicts in Paco, Manila.

A few days ago, on September 19, the veteran actress Cherry Pie Picache's mother Zenaida Sison, 75 years of age, was stabbed dead by still-unindentified assailants in Quezon City.

I am a pro life and I have heard the arguments between the government officials and religious people about death penalty. Although I believe that God is the only one who owns the right to take life away, I also consider fair justice system. I do understand that most churches are against capital punishment or the death penalty. I guess it is about time to tackle proposal to bring back the death penalty in the country in order to save more lives.

These criminals have no conscience as it becomes a habit for them to wipe out whoever is their target. They hold no fear of our justice system because it is too soft and anytime they can escape or bribe some prosecutors.
Once they receive payments, these people who supposed to serve and protect the public, will not seek justice anymore. Mga mukhang pera. Thus, ritual killings of people would continue.

I am a pro life, but if the death penalty will save more lives and reduce killings everywhere in the Philippines, I think it is about time to reconsider it.