The proposal to revive death penalty will be seriously debated once it reaches the Senate plenary, Sen. Bam Aquino assured.

 “The minority will play an active role in the debates and we will make sure that counter perspectives are given a space in the Senate,” said Sen. Bam, who was recently elected deputy minority leader.

 “Filipino lives are at stake here at karamihan pa sa mga ito’y puro mahihirap na Pilipino na kadalasa’y dehado pagdating sa hukuman at sa mata na batas,” he added.

The Committee on Justice recently started hearing proposals to restore the death penalty.

However, the public hearing was indefinitely suspended amid worries that the country might violate the Treaty of International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) it signed in 1986.

 The treaty prevents states from carrying out execution as a form of punishment.

During that hearing, Sen. Bam urged fellow lawmakers to confer with foreign affairs officials regarding international treaties in connection with death penalty reinstatement.

The senator also wants economic managers to speak about the impact of death penalty on jobs and trade agreements entered into by the government in the past.

 “This move will also affect some of the treaties, conventions, and agreements we’ve already signed up to,” Sen. Bam said.

“Napakabigat ng isyung ito. Hindi dapat madaliin ang debate, lalo na’t makikinig ang publiko sa mga argumento sa Senado,” he added.