Senator Robin Padilla has filed a proposed measure seeking capital punishment for law enforcers and elective officials involved in the drug trade as he lamented that current laws have so far failed to deter offenses relating to illegal drugs.

The lawmaker filed Senate Bill 2217 as he stressed that the leniency of current laws caused a “sorry state of affairs where law enforcers are now unafraid to be involved in illegal drugs,” and that government must “respond with a staunch and decisive measure” by changing the law.

“It is an incontrovertible truth that the illegal drug trade and prevalence become so entrenched and systematic that its rot sets in the very core of our public institutions,” Padilla said.

“To reinstate the rule of law and rebuild the trust of the Filipino people, we must re-impose the death penalty as a strong deterrent to grave offenders from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, any uniformed or law enforcement agency, or an elective official who are entrusted with the public power by the people,” he added.

Under the proposed measure which seeks to amend Sections 27 and 28 of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2022, the death penalty will be imposed if the offender is an officer or member of the AFP, PNP “or any other uniformed or law enforcement agency.”

It added that capital punishment will also be imposed on any elective local or national official found to have benefited from the proceeds of drug trafficking or received financial or material contributions or donations without prejudice to removal from office and perpetually disqualified from holding government positions.

However, the proposed measure exempts women while pregnant, one year after delivery; or any person over 70 years old.