The FINANCIAL — Two Philippine lawmakers called for the imposition of the death penalty, adding it is the best deterrent to foreign drug traffickers from operating in the Philippines, a local paper said.
"They are emboldened to establish their drug factories in the country because if they are arrested and convicted, they only suffer life imprisonment, compared to the maximum penalty that they may suffer in other countries, such as China," Congressman Rufus Rodriguez told the Star.
"There is a need to amend our laws to ensure that foreign nationals caught violating our laws on drugs will also be convicted with the harshest penalties that their national law imposes," said Congressman Rodruguez, adding, "Many sectors of society now believe that the law is not just and equitable."
Arrested Chinese drug dealers and manufacturers are just deported to China, complained Rodriguez.He and his brother, Congressman Maximo Rodriguez, filed a bill to amend Republic Act 9165 which prohibits the imposition of death penalty.
The country's death penalty was repealed by former President Corazon Aquino during a revolutionary government in 1986.
But Congress re-imposed death penalty in 1993, during the time of former President Fidel Ramos.
It was repealed again during the term of former President Gloria Arroyo in 2006.
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