Rep. Noel still undecided on issue of restoration of death sentence

TACLOBAN CITY – An Waray party-list Representative Florencio “Bem” Noel, reacting to the call of some legislators and anti-crime groups for the re-imposition of the death penalty, said that he ramain to be a “pro-life” advocate.

He, however, stressed that his being a pro-life advocate would not mean that he would remain as such.

“When I was asked before on my stand in the issue of death penalty, I always stressed that definitely I am pro-life, but I also said that there should be an exemption for it,” Noel said.

“We cannot just take the life of somebody just because of the crime they have committed. However, there are crimes which deserve to be meted with a death penalty,”Noel added.

Crimes such as rape and other heinous acts where the victims are killed in dreadful way by the perpetrators should be punished accordingly, he added.

“This might go against our Catholic beliefs, but if we are going to put ourselves in the situation of the parents or relatives of the victims we would like justice be served according to what they did to our relatives who fell victim to a heinous crime,” Noel added.

Noel added that as of the moment his stand would be “to favor”for the restoration of the death penalty as it may deter the commission of heinous crimes.But he admitted that once the issue would be tackled at the House of Representatives, he would seriously contemplate on what would be his stand on the issue.

“I will just cross the bridge when I get there, but as of now I go for it,” said Noel adding that said statement is not yet final.

Issue to reimpose the death penalty in the country has once again take the center stage as series of heinous crimes committed against individuals sparked in some part of the country.

Among the most sensational killings that sparked on the debate of death penalty involved on the gruesome murder of a son of one of the country’s most well-known lawyers.

The reimposition of the death penalty is strongly opposed by the leaders of the Catholic Church and pro-life groups as they claim that it would not help stop the commission of gruesome murders in the country. (Roel Amazona)