EU raises concern over death penalty revival

MANILA, Philippines — The European Union has raised concern on calls to revive the death penalty in the Philippines, a beneficiary of a trade preference scheme with the EU and thus must adhere with conventions including those on human rights.

“We are concerned about the possible development concerning death penalty, like any other issue, which is in relation to the EU GSP+ (Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus) regime which is at the moment in place,” Maurizio Cellini, head of trade and economic affairs of the EU Delegation to the Philippines, said at an online press conference of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP).

As a beneficiary of the EU GSP+, the Philippines can export 6,274 products to the bloc at zero duty.

To enjoy the trade perks, the Philippines, like other EU GSP+ beneficiary countries, has to implement 27 international conventions related to human rights, labor rights, protection of the environment and good governance.

During his State of the Nation Address last month, President Duterte renewed the call for the passage of a law to revive the death penalty by lethal injection for drug-related crimes.

While the EU expressed concern on the pronouncement, Cellini said the GSP+ benefit is not dependent solely on the issue of death penalty.

“GSP+ depends also on human rights issues, labor issues, environmental issue, good governance issue. So we will have to look at the picture from a global angle, taking into account also maybe the good developments that we might spot in these other areas, and then of course draw overall assessment on the basis of whole picture,” he said.

He said the EU would continue to monitor the situation.

“We take note of the statement. We take note of intentions, but of course we cannot judge a country just on the basis of intention. We will have to see in reality how the situation will evolve over the next few months or over the next year and take a closer look at all developments in this area,” he said.

He said an assessment would be done when the EU monitoring mission is able to come to the country.

An EU monitoring mission was supposed to take place between this month and September, but this was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We will do the same thing we hope very soon when the conditions in the country will permit our colleagues from Brussels to come and do the regular assessment exercise in the country,” Cellini said.

In the past, the EU has already raised concerns on the plan to reintroduce the death penalty, as well as the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.