Bringing back the death penalty is not the solution to the country’s crime problem according to Atty. Dino de Leon, because it is more necessary to ensure that criminals are caught to prevent them from committing offenses in the first place.
The human rights lawyer pointed out that based on the 2004 Supreme Court decision in the case of People vs. Mateo, three out of every four convictions meted the death penalty were found to be erroneous.
Instead, he urged the government to strengthen law enforcement and the justice system to ensure that the guilty are imprisoned for life.
Furthermore, de Leon added that keeping criminals alive while they suffer in prison is a more effective form of justice that cannot be reversed once carried out.
