FILE- 听Students stage a noise barrage against the death penalty bill along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City. 鈥擜LEXIS CORPUZ
He may be an administration听ally but Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri听is standing firm听against the death penalty as he had made a commitment to God听that he would protect 听 the sanctity of life.
When he won during the last elections,听Zubiri said he also made听another commitment to God: 鈥淚鈥檓 going to do听it right this time and听I鈥檒l vote using my conscience.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 my personal conviction e. Ako,听I鈥檓 an ally of the President. I consider myself an ally of the President but there are certain things that I vote with my conscience,鈥� said the senator, who is part of the Senate听 majority bloc.
Zubiri said he had already听 talked听 to Senate President Aquilino听 Pimentel III, president of听 PDP-Laban, and asked that听 they be allowed to vote on the death penalty bill according to their conscience.
He said he is open on other听 measures being pushed听 by the administration听 like the tax reforms, Charter Change, and the shift to federalism but not on the death penalty issue.
鈥淚ba ito e. Buhay听 ng tao ang听 pinag-uusapan dito,鈥� the senator pointed out.
The proposed restoration of the death penalty in the country has been approved in the House of Representatives but remains pending at the Senate committee on justice and human rights chaired by Senator Richard Gordon.
Gordon is also part of the majority bloc but is against听 the proposed measure.
Aside from Zubiri and听 Gordon, three other听 majority听 members 鈥� Senate President Pro Tempore听 Ralph听 Recto and Senators Francis Escudero and听 Nancy Binay 鈥� have expressed their position against the measure.
All听six听members of the听Senate听minority bloc have vowed to block the passage of the death penalty bill. The six听 are Minority Leader听Franklin Drilon,听 Senators Francis Pangilinan,听 Bam Aquino, Leila de Lima, Risa Hontiveros and听 Antonio Trillanes IV./ac/rga
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