'Death penalty needed for flood control thieves'

Government officials and contractors who illegally obtained wealth through anomalous flood control projects should suffer the death penalty, an anti-crime and corruption watchdog said yesterday.

- — With Elizabeth Marcelo, Bella Cariaso

In the wake of allegations that hundreds of millions of pesos were stolen from the government's coffers, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption said it is time to reimpose the death penalty for corrupt officials in government as well as contractors.

VACC president Arsenio Evangelista said it is not enough that corrupt government officials and their cohort contractors spend the rest of their lives in jail but should be slapped with the death penalty.

"Plunder for us is the mother of all crimes simply because every one of us is affected," he said over radio dzBB.

Republic Act 7659, or the Death Penalty Law, was implemented in the 90s but was abolished a decade later following criticisms from human rights advocates.

For Evangelista, there should be no mercy for people who commit plunder as their actions have not only affected the country's economy but also ordinary citizens who have to wade through floods during inclement weather.

Lawyers, church vs corruption The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) has launched a nationwide campaign against corruption, which would include investigation mechanisms and filing of corruption-related charges.

The IBP is undertaking a nationwide "Anti-Corruption Campaign" that includes the creation of anti-corruption help desks in all its chapters for receipt of evidence and handling of corruption-related complaints through its National Center for Legal Aid (NCLA).