Bohol Rep. Yap votes ‘yes’

CEBU, Philippines - Bohol 3rd District Representative Arthur Yap, saying that he followed the sentiment of his district, voted “yes” to the death penalty re-imposition, but wanted the government or the criminal justice system to ensure that all who are charged for crimes, especially the weak and the poor, must be afforded due process under law, and defended by competent lawyers at the expense of the State.”

Yap said his district made a decision on the issue, and that he must represent the views of his constituents “no matter how painful or divisive the issue may be.” Majority in his district even wanted to include murder, rape and plunder among the crimes to be meted with the death penalty, he said.

“It is not that the Third District of Bohol is populated by blood thirsty people and, surely, let it not be said that we love God less. It is just that my district believes that when one commits barbaric acts (rape, murder, kidnapping, treason, piracy, etc.) against our fellow man, the perpetrator has also given up his right to live among civilized men and women,” said Yap.

The Boholano legislator said the limiting the death penalty to drug-related cases only is even “wiser since many of these acts of brutality stem from the insanity brought about by the scourge of drugs,” Yap added.

“In the streets, marchers remind us not to kill. This is correct; but we may also remind them to consider that to kill is not an absolute wrong when it is justified. When one is attacked, violated or brutalized, natural moral law recognizes a person's inherent right to defend himself even if he has to kill to do so. This is the reason that in law, self-defense is a justifying circumstance. This is the reason why even in our Constitution, death as a penalty is provided for compelling reasons,” Yap argued.

Yap said the State is burdened more to defend the people, but it must be made clear that it is not its intention to send many people to the death penalty. “If a person has the right to defend himself, much more so the State. St. Thomas Aquinas writes that it is the State's obligation and duty to defend itself from enemies within and without. And, in the exercise of its power to defend itself and its citizens, we owe the State our support,” Yap added. (FREEMAN)