The Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care (ECPPC)...

The Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care (ECPPC) of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) implored President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's administration to opt for justice that heals and not justice that kills.Bishop Pedro Arigo, chairman of the CBCP-ECPPC, said they are happy and grateful for the President's great concern in addressing the problem of criminality. However, they are also saddened by her strong resolve and position to resume the implementation of the death penalty.The bishops reiterated that it is not the severity of punishment that deters criminals from committing crime but rather the firm, wilful, and competent apprehension of the perpetrators of crime.The CBCP-ECPPC therefore, calls on the President to reconsider her position to execute criminals just to appease the public that through her administration the crime rate will be minimized in the country."The President should not be misled into believing that putting a convict to death is the answer and the solution to our continuously rising crime rate," Bishop Arigo said.The continuous fight against criminality in the country may be a long-time goal but nonetheless it is worth pursuing.