Sinabi ni Sen. Pimentel na walang katotohanan ang paratang ni Agarao na kaya ipinababasura ang death penalty law ay dahil nag-lobby ang mga drug syndicates.
"Just to block the passage of the bill abolishing death penalty, our critics are resorting to outright falsehood and slander. This is most unkind to proponents of the bill whose only motive is to rectify a flaw in our penal system and uphold the constitutional mandate against cruel and inhuman punishment," paliwanag ni Pimentel. (Ulat ni Rudy Andal)