NEOPHYTE Senator Manny Pacquiao delivered his first privilege speech on Monday to defend his position backing the reimposition of the death penalty.
He said capital punishment is not only allowed by law but also by the Bible.
Pacquiao insisted that death penalty was never abolished in the country, it was only suspended and later repealed by Republic Act 9346, an act prohibiting the imposition of death penalty in the Philippines.
“Having read the bible on a regular basis, I am convinced that God is not just a God of mercy but he is also a God of justice,” he added.
In his 14-minute speech, Pacquiao cited several verses from the Old and New Testaments to back his position.
Pacquiao, a born again Christian, filed three bills seeking the reimposition of the death penalty on heinous crimes, including drug-related activities.
“We must speak to these criminal minds in the only language they understand. They must understand that our government will put a stop to impunity,” he added.
But the senator said that while there is a need to put more teeth in the law penalizing drug pushing, the right of the suspects to a fair trial must also be respected.
Several senators interpellated Pacquiao, including Sen. Leila De Lima, a known anti-death penalty advocate, who asked him if the penalty of life imprisonment could also be a deterrent to crime.
But Pacquiao said the absence of death penalty made the country attractive to drug lords.