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Ito ang tugon ni Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Migrant and Itinerant People chairman Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos sa patutsada ni House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez sa mga Katolikong pabor sa death penalty na magpalit ng relihiyon.
Ipinaalala ni Bishop Santos kay Speaker Alvarez na hindi simpleng usapin ang death penalty dahil para sa mga Katoliko ang buhay ay sagrado na hinulma ng Panginoon sa kanyang “image and likeness”.
Ipinaunawa din ng Obispo sa mambabatas na hindi madaling magpalit ng relihiyon tulad ng pagpapalit ng damit o pagkain dahil kaakibat nito ang serious contemplation and discernment.
Pinayuhan naman ni Bishop Santos ang mga Kristiyanong Katoliko na patatagin ang pananampalataya at hanapin sa sarili ang mabuting balita ng Panginoon.
Iginiit ng Obispo, “Christ speaks of life, mercy and justice. He restore and not destroy.He is God of life, not death. With all due respect to the House Speaker the issue of the death penalty is not a simple matter but involves principles, deeply held values, a system of beliefs. For us Catholics, life is precious because each human being is God’s creation, made to his image and likeness. Changing religion is not like changing clothes, or food and other preferences. One cannot be flippant about it. It involves serous contemplation and discernment. My advice to Catholics is to go deep into their faith and find there the words of God to them. He speaks of life, mercy and justice. He restores and not destroys. He is God of life, not death,” mensaheng ipinadala ni Bishop Santos sa Radio Veritas.
Ngayong araw ika-7 ng Disyembre 2016, inaprubahan ng House Committee on Justice sa botong 12-6 at isang abstention ang death penalty bill ni Speaker Alvarez.
