Approval of death penalty is Philippine lawmakers' major accomplishment: House Speaker

House Speaker says that the approval of death penalty is Philippine lawmakers' major accomplishment in the Duterte's first year.

Two Pakistani men faces capital punishment in Singapore for murder charges
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One of the major accomplishments of Philippine lawmakers in the Rodrigo Duterte's first year of administration is the approval of death penalty.

The announcement was made by Speaker of the House Pantaleon Alvarez, who said that the approval of House Bill No. 4727 also known as the reinstatement of the death penalty, was one of the major accomplishments of Duterte's first year serving as President.

Alvarez said he commended lawmaker Reynaldo Umali, chairperson of the Congressional Justice committee, who facilitated to fast track the passage of the law.

"We have succeeded in steering the return of the death penalty for certain heinous crimes," Alvarez told journalists.

Philippine lawmakers approved the final reading of the proposed law to restore capital punishment in the country. Despite the controversy of the bill, majority of lawmakers ie 216 of them endorsed the capital punishment. On the other hand, 54 opposed the endorsement while 1 abstained in the votation of the motion to pass the bill.

Alvarez also reported that Philippine lawmakers passed 210 proposed bills during the session of the 17thcongress. Two other major bills passed in the first year include the amended Anti-Money Laundering Act and the Tax Reform Bill.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte won overwhelmingly over his presidential rivals with the campaign message that he will eradicate illegal drugs by bloody means.

Duterte said that he is extremely mad against drugs user because he believes that they are responsible for raping infants and grandmothers.

More than 3,000 drug suspects and illegal drug peddlers have reportedly been killed by unknown vigilantes. Critics of Duterte blamed him for having knowledge of extra judicial killings committed against illegal drug users.

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