Death penalty on “anti-poor justice system” will target the poor — group
Manila, Philippines — On the context of the country’s current judicial system which impunity for the powerful prevails, while ordinary folks are being deprived of legal due process, revival of the death penalty will mostly target the poor, not the rich and powerful criminals, according to the militant fishers group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA).
PAMALAKAYA was reacting to President Rodrigo Duterte during his 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday that he would be reviving the death penalty by lethal injection for heinous crimes involving illegal drugs.
“We have witnessed how the government’s bloody war on drugs has executed the poor sans due process. Big-fish drug syndicates, on the other hand, remain at large and continue to operate across the country,” Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA National Chair said in a statement.
PAMALAKAYA calls on the Filipinos to oppose what they call as another “authoritarian measure” of the Duterte government.
“We should not allow our precious lives be left at the mercy of the current justice system which fuels social prejudice in favor for the rich and powerful,” ended Hicap. ###
