Regional MPs call on Philippine counterparts to reject death penalty bill

Parliamentarians from across ASEAN today expressed alarm at what appears to be an attempt by the administration of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and its allies in the Philippine House of Representatives to railroad through Congress legislation to reintroduce the death penalty in the country.

Members of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) urged President Duterte and Philippine legislators to immediately desist in their pursuit of a reinstatement of the death penalty, calling on them to respect the Philippines’ international obligations and avoid undermining the country’s much-respected role as a regional leader on human rights protections.

“As citizens of ASEAN, we have looked to the Philippines as a regional leader in the global movement to abolish the death penalty since its decision to do so in 2006,” said APHR Chairperson Charles Santiago, a member of the Malaysian Parliament.

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Thumbnail: Flickr CC Davao Today