Inspired by the Bible, Senator Manny Pacquiao agrees and makes a stand for bringing back death penalty in the country on his privilege speech and debate, but Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said not all written in the Bible is still being applied by the Catholic faithful.
The bishop stated an example, offering the animals like sheep and cows to God and the principle "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth," had long been discarded, said on an interview with Radyo Veritas.
Pabillo said,“Hindi lahat ng nakalagay na Bible verse na nakalagay sa Bible ay ginagawa natin. Hindi na tayo nag-aalay ng mga baka, ng mga tupa na nakalagay sa Bible kasi ang ating pamantayan ngayon ay pag-aalay na ni Hesus. Ganun din ang katuruan ni Hesus. Yung sinasabi sa Bible na eye for eye, tooth for tooth…sinabi ni Hesus na hindi na dapat gawin yan".
Those who are pursuing for the death penalty are resisting the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church, Pabillo added.
The bishop stated that the revival of death penalty would be “anachronistic” to the call of other nations to stop its implementation.
“Alam niyo po itong nagbubuhay ng death penalty wala na sa panahon, anachronistic na kasi sa buong mundo ngayon ang pagsisigaw ay tanggalin ang death penalty. Kung babalik tayo doon ay parang babalik tayo sa panahon na naiwan na natin kasi advance na tayo diyan. Alam niyo po ang Bibliya ay binabasa natin bilang mga Kristiyano hindi bilang mga Hudyo kaya ang sentro ng Bibliya para sa ating mga Kristiyano ay si Hesukristo."
"You know the revival of death penalty is outdated, anachronistic to the call of the world to abolish death penalty. If we revert to it, it would seem that we would go back to the time we have moved past because we have advanced from it. You know we are reading the Bible as Christians not as Jews so the center of the Bible for us Christians is Jesus Christ."
Pacquiao explained the need to bring back the death penalty for convicted drug traffickers, telling that it's the “most heinous” of crimes, during his privilege speech.
The senator stressed, “The death penalty is lawful, moral and sanctioned governmental action. Having read the Bible on a regular basis, I am convinced that God is not just a God of mercy, but also a God of justice."
It was 2006 that death penalty was remove in the country and President Rodrigo "Digong" Duterte wants it to be revived and it will be a punishment especially for those who committed rape and killed people.
Source: Inquirer