Former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez suggested Tuesday a punishment for Police Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca by “cremating” him alive.
“Kung ako tatanungin dapat ang parusa doon cremation, hindi bitay,” Alvarez said in an interview shared with reporters.
Asked to clarify his remark, Alvarez said: “Sunugin. Sunugin [nang] buhay.”
“Tingnan mo yung ginawa niya sa mga tao. Nakakaawa yung nanay o lola, inakap pa yung bata o. Pinoprotektahan. Tapos ganun-ganun na lang, barilin mo pareho,” he added.
Alvarez was among the lawmakers pushing for the revival of the death penalty in the Philippines. During his term as House Speaker, the measure was even approved on the third and final reading in the 17th Congress.
However, Alvarez no longer wanted to comment on the calls for bringing back capital punishment after the tragic Tarlac shooting.
“Yung isang controversial bill na pinasa namin sa House of Representatives nung 17th Congress. Kaya lang pagdating sa Senado walang nangyari,” Alvarez said.
“So siguro mas maganda doon mo itanong sa kanila,” he added.
For Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Arlene Brosas and Bayan Muna party-list Representative Ferdinand Gaite, the death penalty would not resolve the country’s justice system’s impairment.
Rep. Alvarez wants Nuezca to be ‘cremated alive’
“Naninindigan kami na hindi kailanman solusyon ang pagkitil ng buhay sa mga suliraning panlipunan. Tanging mga ordinaryong mamamayan ang mapaparusahan sa death penalty,” Brosas said.
On Monday, Alvarez dared Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Debold Sinas to initiate reforms within PNP, or else he should step down from his position.
“If the Chief cannot effectively lead PNP and guide its personnel towards serving and protecting the Filipino people, he should not be PNP Chief at all,” the former speaker said.
“Failure of leadership is not acceptable. Lives are at risk. The credibility of the police force is in ruins. Reform the PNP or resign,” he added.