Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Wednesday said the bill seeking to restore the death penalty would no longer make death mandatory. Alvarez said the bill on death penalty would give the option for judges either to impose capital punishment, or the lesser penalty of life imprisonment or reclusion perpetua. Napagkasunduan na walang mandatory death pero bahala na yung judge ano ipapataw na penalty,” Alvarez said. The House leadership is forcing a vote on the death penalty following a gridlock in the Senate. At least nine of the 24 senators have expressed opposition to the death penalty as the Senate started its committee deliberations on the restoration of capital punishment.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer February 08, 2017 11:03 UTC