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Progressives protest, House approves death penalty bill

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THE government must focus on ending poverty and its roots instead of killing the poor, progressive groups said at a rally at the House of Representatives yesterday said.

The protesters, led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, marched to last March 7 in protest of House Bill 4727 that seeks to re-impose death as punishment for drug-related crimes.

The Lower House nonetheless approved the bill on its third and final reading last night, with 216 congressmen voting in favor, 54 against and one abstaining. Read more

Bayan, Makabayan hit tax reform and death penalty bills

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In a rally in at the House of Representatives various sectors led by the BAYAN and the Makabayan Coalition called for the rejection of the bills that would restore the death penalty and another that imposes higher taxes on the people. Both bills are government-sponsored.

Evan Hernandez of the rights group Hustisya said that under a justice system that is flawed if not downright rotten, death penalty is not a deterrent to crimes nor will it render justice to the victims.

Like the death penalty, the tax reform only hits the the poor rather than the rich said Rep. Carlos Zarate of Bayan Muna. Zarate and other members of the Makabayan bloc vowed to oppose the bill and will instead push the Finance Dept. and the Bureau of Customs to efficiently work on their collection. (Video by Divine C. Miranda) Read more