Senate President Vicente Sotto III is optimistic that capital punishment might get revived in the 18th Congress as many incoming senators are supporting it.
According to the unofficial tally of Commission on Elections (COMELEC), 10 out of 12 winning senators got a close-ties with President Rodrigo Duterte and most of them are supportive with the agendas of the current administration.
“In the new Senate, there’s a possibility of 13 [votes]” Sotto during a press conference on Thursday.
According to him, capital punishment might be imposed against drug lords only.
Senators Cynthia Villar, Sonny Angara, and Koko Pimentel are supportive with the said reimposition.
The winning Senators, Pia Cayetano, Lito Lapid, Ramon Revilla, Christopher “Bong” Go, Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and Francis Tolentino also wanted to push capital punishment.
Dela Rosa is the most vocal when it comes to the revival of capital punishment, saying that it would be his priority once he started working as a Senator.
However, Sotto said that they’re still not sure if it would get passed, despite the mass support from the current and incoming senators.
“I think what will be passed by the Senate would be based on its merits, not because the president is endorsing it or not being endorsed,” Sotto said.