Philippines to bring back death penalty

MANILA: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign to bring back the death penalty for drug-related crimes has cleared a major hurdle, with supporters backing it in Congress but critics denouncing the planned killings as “inhumane”. The death penalty bill, along with a proposed measure to punish children as young as nine as adult criminals, are key planks of Duterte’s controversial drug war that has already claimed more than 6,500 lives. A majority of politicians in the Lower House of Congress passed a second reading of the bill on Wednesday night, clearing one of the biggest obstacles in proponents’ plans to make the death penalty legal by May. A third and final reading still needs to be held next week, although with no more debates both sides agree passage is a formality. Then the Senate, which is similarly dominated by Duterte’s allies, would pass a counterpart bill. Opponents voiced anger the Philippines would bring back the death penalty, 11 years after it was revoked, highlighting among many concerns a corrupt justice system that would lead to innocent being executed. — AFP