Abdiel Franz Bernales

Zamboanga City Rep. Khymer Adan Olaso, on January 22, sought the imposition of the death penalty by firing squad for government officials convicted of "corruption and other grave cases" through House Bill 11211, or the proposed Death Penalty for Corruption Act.

Photo Courtesy of Benar News.

The capital punishment stipulated in House Bill (HB) No.11211, or the Death Penalty for Corruption Act, applies to all public officials, from the President of Malacañang to the lowest barangay official.

"This bill is not merely punitive but also symbolic of the Philippines' zero-tolerance policy for corruption," Olaso said in the explanatory note of his bill.

However, the conviction should first be affirmed by the Supreme Court, which has undergone a mandatory automatic review process, and all legal remedies available should be exhausted by the accused before the execution is carried out.

The proposed measure covers all public officials, whether elected or appointed, including officials in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, those serving in Constitutional Commissions, government-owned and controlled corporations, and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

"These safeguards aim to uphold the fundamental rights of the accused while ensuring that the imposition of the death penalty is applied only in cases where guilt is conclusively established," Olaso added.

"By passing this legislation, Congress sends a strong message that integrity and accountability are paramount in public service and that the misuse of public resources will not be tolerated," he said.

The death penalty was abolished in 2006 during the presidency of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. She is now Olaso's colleague in the House of Representatives in the current 19th Congress. 

Lethal injection was used the last time that the death penalty was carried out in the Philippines.

Olaso says the measure " emphasizes accountability and deterrence, making it clear that public office is a public trust, and any violation of that trust must be met with the severest consequences.”

According to the Mindanaoan, corruption remains among the gravest threats to the Philippines' social, economic, and political development. 

"Despite the existence of numerous laws aimed at combating graft, malversation, and plunder, the persistence of these crimes suggests that current measures are insufficient to deter public officials from engaging in corrupt practices," he said.

"The imposition of the death penalty for these crimes is grounded in the principle of retributive justice, recognizing the magnitude of harm inflicted by corrupt practices," Olaso stated.

"It also aligns with the constitutional mandate under Article XI of the 1987 Constitution, which underscores accountability among public officers and declares that public office is a public trust," the bill read.

"Furthermore, this bill reinforces the legislative intent behind Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) and Republic Act No. 7080 (Plunder Law) by ensuring that the penalties are commensurate with the crimes committed," it added.

Olasa said the bill includes safeguards to uphold due process and constitutional protections. 

"Convictions must be affirmed by the Supreme Court (SC), undergo an automatic review process, and allow the accused to exhaust all available legal remedies," he wrote in his proposal.

This call to action requires a critical process to make the bill into law considering other factors, especially the Philippines, a Christian country.