CBCP slams GMA over death penalty

President Arroyo faced further flak yesterday for bringing back the death penalty and seeking the reversal of commuted death sentences, with the Catholics Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) denouncing her turnaround.

Also questioning the move was the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), a volunteer organization whose members serve as lawyers for some of the death convicts.

FLAG lawyers warned that recalling commutation orders would be "unprecedented" and "unconstitutional" and could lead to Mrs. Arroyo’s impeachment.

The CBCP said the President’s about-face on the death penalty is tantamount to admitting that "the police system is futile in preventing crime," that the judicial system does not work, and "killing criminals is therefore the only solution."

"With this reversal, the President openly surrendered to the reign of crime in the country," Archbishop Oscar Cruz said.

Mrs. Arroyo, who came into power in January opposing the death penalty, reversed her stand this week, saying the 79 kidnappings so far this year were ruining the economy.

She vowed to have 95 people convicted of kidnapping executed once the Supreme Court affirmed their sentences, and she called for the commuted death sentences of another six kidnappers to be annulled so they could be executed as soon as possible.

The six, along with two other death-row convicts whose sentences were affirmed by the Supreme Court in August, would be first in line for the reopened death chamber, she said.

The CBCP urged Arroyo "not to resort to a quick-fix solution on the problem of criminality," saying it was an "illusion" to expect law and order would be restored "only if one or two Filipinos are executed daily."

They added: "Stop giving us false hope that we will be safe and secure after putting people to death."

Rodolfo Diamante, executive secretary of the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care, said they will join FLAG and other groups in questioning the recall order.

"We will question the legality of the order and the proper forum is the Supreme Court. We are coordinating with FLAG and the Coalition Against the Death Penalty. We will be a petitioner questioning the legality and constitutionality of the President’s actions," Diamante said.

He said if the Supreme Court rules the recall unconstitutional and the President still pushes through with it, then it would be an impeachable offense.

"I don’t think she will go against the rules of the Supreme Court. She will be foolish to do that," he said.

FLAG secretary general Socorro Diokno said the government cannot legally put to death convicts who are no longer sentenced to death.

"The commutations extinguished the original death sentences and replaced them with reclusion perpetua," Diokno told a news conference. "Government cannot legally put to death convicts who are no longer sentenced to death."

FLAG lawyer Theodore Te warned that if the President "continues with this course of action, then definitely, it will be a culpable violation of the constitution."

He said this could "theoretically" be grounds for her impeachment.