Lacson wants death penalty for plunder

MANILA, Philippines – Senator-elect Panfilo  Lacson is recommending expanding the crime of plunder and have offenders face the death penalty.

He claims that amending the law would help deter the habitual stealing of public funds.

“If possible, if the death penalty is reimposed, I would push for the offender to be sentenced to death. Life in the countryside is really difficult, but the P50 million doesn’t seem to matter (to the habitual offender). If he has done the offense repeatedly, then he should be given a heavier penalty,” the senator said in a mixture of English and Filipino.

The crime of plunder currently penalizes ill-gotten wealth involving P50 million and up.

Lacson stressed the law should be hard on those who habitually steal public funds, even if the amount is less than P50 million as specified by the present law.

“If he is a recidivist, even if the amount stolen is less than P50 million, he should be penalized heavily, without bail,” added Lacson, who ran as an independent candidate in the last senatorial election.

The present law, Republic Act 7080, punishes ill-gotten wealth through a combination or series of overt or criminal acts involving P50 million.