The House Justice committee approved the death penalty bill at the committee level yesterday and it’s undeniably scary. Even more so when you read the proposed list of crimes that’s punishable by death.
Amid all these crimes, the condition imposed on rape seem to be the most troubling of all. First off, the bill states that “rape with homicide” will be punishable.
We may not be in support of the death penalty. But punishing rapists according to whether or not they commit homicide is giving them the power to get away with other forms of rape and sexual violence. They can even get away with homicide. It’s so easy to exploit this, especially considering the unresolved drug-related killings in the country. It also doesn’t help that it’s in the same category as carnapping, which is not as heinous as killing someone.
This also presses the issue of victim-shaming in women even further. Because of the homicide condition and the discrediting of other circumstances, it’s implied that women need to watch out for their sexual safety even more. Again, women should not be complicit for the abuses done to them.
Why put specific circumstances to it? Rape is rape no matter how you look at it, and equal consequences should be given. A dead body should not just be the basis of a crime committed. We all should listen to the pleas of victims and offer them ample protection from sexual abuses—at least Sen. Risa Hontiveros is working on that.
This also begs the question on whether the government should think about the weight of punishment to rape and other crimes. Is death penalty really the way to do things? Take note that once you’re found guilty, you’ll be killed via firing squad, lethal injection, or hanging. We agree with Vice-President Leni Robredo when she said that this was a hasty decision on the Lower House’s part.
Legislators and other government officials should consider the gravity of each crime, along with the accompanying circumstances, and also the consequences of implementing this as law. We already have over 1,700 deaths this year, and who knows how many more will be added in the future.
Photo courtesy of Inquirer.net
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