Manila, Philippines — A bill proposing for a death penalty via firing squad for corrupt government officials was filed before the House of Representatives.
Zamboanga City 1st District Rep. Khymer Adan Olaso filed House Bill No. 11211 or the Death Penalty for Corruption Act that proposes a firing squad penalty for government officials convicted with corruption and other grave charges.
Under the proposed bill, death penalty will be imposed on government officials that will be found guilty of grat and corruption, malversion of public funds under the Revised Penal Code, and plunder.
Olaso noted that this bill seeks to held corrupt officials accountable for their crimes, especially that corruption is considered as a grave threat to public trust.
“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,” wrote Olaso.
This bill shall penalize convicted officials—from the President to the lowest barangay officials—engaging in corrupt practices to emphasize accountability and deterrence of officials.
The bill, however, clarified that only those convicted under due process of law shall be penalized with the said penalty.
Due process includes convicted by the Sandiganbayan, affirmed by the Supreme Court, has undergone mandatory automatic review process required by the Consitution, and the accused has exhausted all legal appeals and motions for reconsideration.
“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,” the bill stated.