A new law is being proposed in the Philippines that suggests a very strong punishment for public officials who steal or misuse government money. The bill, called House Bill 11211, was created by Representative Khymer Olaso from Zamboanga. It says that public officials—like politicians, judges, and police officers—who are found guilty of certain crimes related to corruption may face the death penalty by firing squad.
The crimes covered by this bill are:
- Graft – when an official unfairly helps someone, causing harm to the government.
- Malversation – when public funds are used for something that they shouldn’t be used for.
- Plunder – when a person steals more than 50 million pesos worth of government funds.
Before anyone can be executed by firing squad, there are many rules that need to be followed. The official’s conviction has to be confirmed by the highest court, the Supreme Court, and they must have used up all the legal chances they have to appeal. These rules are there to make sure that only those who are truly guilty are punished.
In a separate discussion, Representative Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte said he agrees with the idea of using the death penalty, but only for the worst crimes, like plundering money or serious drug crimes. He believes that these crimes hurt the people and that the punishment should be very serious. Barbers also said that he doesn’t mind how the death penalty is carried out, whether by firing squad or another way, as long as it helps stop corruption.
The government is working on this law, and it will be discussed further in the next few weeks before Congress takes a break. Many people feel strongly about this law because they believe that corruption in government should be taken very seriously.
