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Church reiterates call for death penalty abolition
17 April 2006 -- The Catholic bishops hailed the executive commutation of death sentences to life terms but reiterated their call for the government to totally abolish death penalty.
"It is therefore our prayer that it will not only be a presidential humanitarian act, but the Congress itself would abolish capital punishment by legislative act," said Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, CBCP president.
In earlier statements, CBCP has already noted that capital punishment is not a deterrent to the commission of crimes. To address the root causes of criminality such as poverty, immorality and corruption will, in the experience of other countries, lower the incidence of criminality.
"Corruption, immorality and poverty breed criminality," he said. "Therefore, less of these would mean less criminality."
Bishop Pedro Arigo, chairman of the CBCP Commission of the Prison Pastoral Care (ECPPC), said that Arroyo's decision is a welcome development but it only applies to those in the death row.
"Our commission has been advocating for the abolition of the death penalty and we want the government to abrogate it," he said.
While admitting that the country is beset by rising crimes, Arigo cautioned that resorting to quick fixes is not deterrence to crime and will only complicate matters.
"We believe that we should find another way of defending society that will obviate the need for the death penalty, which only brings out the worst in us all," Arigo added.
The ECPPC has been urging the government to pursue the purpose of incarceration that is retribution, rehabilitation and restoration of prisoners.
Meanwhile, according to Rodolfo Diamante, ECPPC executive secretary and spokesman of the Coalition Against Death Penalty (CADP), Arroyo's pronouncement should not merely end up there.
He said that fundamental changes in society have to begun and pursued relentlessly.
"For only in addressing the roots of poverty, injustice and inequality shall we be able to minimize and perhaps stop the commission of crime," Diamante said.
Arigo said that pro-death penalty should have to understand justice in a different perspective tendered with love and forgiveness.
"We should follow the principles according to our Christian faith," he said.
Arigo also said that as a follower of Christ, "we believe that the lawbreakers must be given a chance to repent, change their lives, their attitudes and truly atone for their actions."
According to Lagdameo, the rehabilitation and reformation of pardoned criminals must also be assured for the continuing peace and harmony in society.
Arigo hopes that Arroyo is sincere with her decision and not just to please the bishops and other groups who are against death penalty.
He challenged Arroyo to "endorse as a priority measure the bill abolishing the death penalty and urgently appeal to our legislators to act on the bill putting an end to capital punishment."
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