Justice and human rights committee chairman Senator...

Justice and human rights committee chairman Senator Francis N. Pangilinan urged President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to let go of her reported plan to revive the death penalty especially for drug traffickers, saying Congress would likely pass a bill abolishing capital punishment during its third regular session. Pangilinan said the debates had already begun after his panel approved the measure sponsored by opposition Senator Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr. "Before, the President's position is she will wait for the debates in the Senate and the House. The debates have started, when the committee on justice and human rights reported out its committee report endorsing the abolition of the death penalty," Pangilinan explained. "And because it would be on second reading when sessions resume, hopefully President Arroyo suspends her decision to impose the death penalty," he added. Pangilinan said the death penalty abolition was complicated and controversial and had gained bipartisan support. "We hope to be able to marshal it with the bipartisan support. Senator Nene Pimentel has agreed as principal author to marshal the measure in cooperation and coordination with the chairman of the justice committee. This is a bipartisan effort both with the opposition and administration to get this measure across," he said.