The Death Penalty is a violation of the human right to life. 

More than a decade ago, the Philippines recognized this by abolishing the death penalty, and later ratifying the Second Optional Protocol to the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights which further emphasized the cruel and inhuman nature of capital punishment. However, since the start of his term, President Duterte and his allies in the Congress have sought to overturn this, and almost succeeded in 2017 when the House of Representatives voted to pass the bill. In his most recent State of the Nation Address (SONA), the President again expressed his intent to bring back the death penalty. 

We call on the Philippine Senate to reject any and all proposals for the reinstatement of the death penalty. We call on them to recognize that the death penalty does not only fail as a deterrent to any form of crime; it also further contributes to a culture that continually devalues life.

In a time where death has become the norm in this country, it is high time for the government to shift their priorities and put life at the top of the list.