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| MICHAEL MIJARES MEDINA Freelance Writer/Columnist/Author The Blessed Hope Ministry V.R.Bollozos-Bernad Sanction Road Bernad Subdivision, Ozamiz City 7200 Misamis Occidental, Philippines |
A significant number of Filipinos are dragging their feet to proceed with the execution of convicted rapist Leo
Echegaray having the itch to enjoy the pleasure of seeing him die for the crime he committed. There are also few
people who do not support the idea saying that only God has the right to take a man's life and not man himself. As
procreators of life, we must express the importance and value of upholding it. The real issue here is about taking a
convicted felon's life in retaliation of or as a punishment for his crime. Anyone calling for the death penalty, as a
deterrent to crime should have his head examined. We show ourselves helpless in this matter because we had to rely
on death penalty to deter crime when in fact the only thing we need to do is to change the atmosphere of our
environment, be presumptuous in police enforcement against crime and boosting the morale in the judiciary.
Admittedly, I have a stand with regards to this but in assertion of fairness, I will just present the qualifying factors so as
not to make other people uncomfortable. My readers should not be surprised when I take a stand against death penalty, this is my privilege to express my opinion and anyway I do not represent any faction when I say that we will
never get settled over this experiment. After Echegaray, who's next? How many will it take in order to see the inhibiting
effect of the penalty? Our certitude in favoring the death penalty for heinous crimes must not be based on our strong
desire for sweet revenge and our despondence in going after elusive criminals who are merely mortals like us.
The government may also need to mature in order to prove beyond our expectations that the execution will not deliberately mislead us or else this will be the most embarrassing experience the government will encounter in applying
the full force of the law. I do not say that death penalty is selective in application but it seems that it will always fail to
liberate the poor who are going to be prejudiced by this for sure.
I will also not deny the reality that Filipinos have unique political ideas, even rousing from our silence in order to give
our sentiments. If we try to isolate this case, we will see that our laws really call for it. People are tired of the relentless
drive against heinous crimes and the empty results of punishment every arrested criminal rightfully deserves. The State,
though less mightier than God, is in a suitable place to charter a convict's destiny by sending him to the death chamber
but in the issue of life, it deserves condemnation from every professing Filipino Christian.
Let us all be conscious of the question touching the sanctity of life and morals but for clarification, I would consider
demanding clemency to the convict after all, every one of us are entitled to compassion. If we are too concerned about
our fellowmen working abroad as OCW's who are possible death row candidates, then we should liberate our people
here from this oppressing penalty. I plead for reasonable and humane feelings, scrap the death penalty and show the
world that the Philippines is not desperately hopeless in its drive against crime.
In support of the President, I will also say that he has the right to feel morally disdained in granting mercy to Echegaray
and this we cannot touch since the Chief Executive has a high regard for the law. The majority approves death penalty
and with villainous crimes climbing at an alarming rate, its imposition may be propitious and the only solution. Political
analysts agree to this explaining the need to demand for it now to curb these atrocious crimes. The existence of death
penalty creates the impression that we do not tolerate lawlessness in our neighborhood. In one opinion poll conducted
by a national television program, I found out that most of the respondents favor the execution of Leo Echegaray. The
same is true when this writer tried to make a query about the capital punishment.
Meanwhile, when we see the predicament of the victims, the disgraceful ordeal they received, the memory, grief and
shame, and the disquieting recovery they will face-we will raise our hands up in affirmation to others that we should go
for it. Our country is under enormous influences and having death penalty within our midst may signal the perpetuation
of violence if not, bring discrimination even if we claim that the accused went through due process. Imposing death
penalty upon a convict prevents him from feeling remorse and offering retribution for the crime he has committed in
order for him to reform.
As early as now when we can still find abundant options, let us do it by all means. Later on we will see it too late to
save someone who is innocent and wrongfully incriminated. Whatever happens next, we'll make sure it will not be a
secret. *
Once again we have another casualty, a misfortune before our eyes, an incident that triggered bland remarks from the
Gunless Society. Or an accident that defied prediction as claimed by the suspect-Mr. Inocencio Gonzales Jr., known
as a non-violent human being and a parent himself. Accordingly, most guns in the hands of civilians have been used
more frequently on law-abiding citizens instead of on criminals. The media is likely to publicize such incident not to
embarrass the suspect but to draw attention from our lawmakers. This will be the occasion for our government leaders
as well to impose stricter gun control.
Our society view gun owning a great risk for others who don't have the capacity to own one. I do not say that those
who own guns are not responsible. It's obvious that with a slight provocation, a gun holder's emotional response may
vary-from staying put or turning into a bad wolf. He could be pardoned if he will only hoist a dirty finger but with a dirty
loaded gun, nah! Those who are peaceful and responsible owners of guns have a high respect for life. They leave their
guns at home and if they have the necessity to bring it along with them, they make sure not to use it irreligiously.
In our city where guns are not properly controlled and with killings happening every other week which is not surprising
but is generally unpleasant, it is expected that guns will be in possession among drug addicts and mentally unbalanced
individuals holding up students and intimidating helpless civilians. Each year, a number of people die because of
indiscriminate firing. A gun owner who is very eager to welcome the New Year fires up in the air and inadvertently hits
a bystander when the bullet he fired ricochets. Some undisciplined cops who get drunk brandish their guns to timid
waiters in the city taverns.
If we are committed to cherish and protect life at all cost especially for the weak and defenseless, then what better
respect can we give them than to campaign for stricter regulatory rules pertaining to the issue of gun license. Our quest
of growing old and surviving will someday be stopped by trigger-happy cowboys who shoot at the slightest aggravation
if we continue to turn a blind eye to this problem. The reality of all incidents, as I observe, involved no-nonsense
persons who are just one of us who practiced little restraint in finger-clicking the hammer but did it anyway without
having a second thought.
In the papers, we could scrutinize for news of criminal cases involving the use of guns, then we could pass on to some
pages involving the effect of irresponsible and or misplaced gun use. In the present issue, we cannot rule out Mr.
Gonzales' innocence but we'll just leave that to due process of the law. The real challenge now is for the demonstration
of righteous, honorable gun society if we are to prevent more untoward occurrence in the future. Only by these virtues
can we hope to retain the move of having a pro-gun society.
An expeditious attention is needed before somebody else gets victimized again. Mr. Noel Andres is among those
hoping the fight will take on. Our ideological conviction and thinking that owning a gun protects one from criminals is
false considering that guns kept in homes have caused more accidents than being pointed to an intruding criminal. What
part of the news did we not understand? Shooting people is not a good ventilation, you only have to ask yourself one
question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well do you, punk? *
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