Catholic Church leaders renewed their opposition to the death penalty following public calls to bring it back for corrupt officials during protests against government corruption on 21 September.

During the “Trillion Peso March” at the People Power Monument, comedy icon Vice Ganda stirred debate by proposing capital punishment for plunderers.

“Ibalik ang death penalty sa mga corrupt. Ikulong pati pamilya nila,” the comedian said, drawing cheers from the crowd.

Vice Ganda argued that stealing from the country is worse than crimes committed by murderers and terrorists.

In response, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), acknowledged public anger toward corrupt politicians but warned that reinstating the death penalty could lead to further injustice.

“Wealthy people can afford the best legal defense, delay trials, or manipulate the system,” David said. “History warns us: the law is often weaponized by those in power. Remember how both St. John the Baptist and Jesus were swiftly condemned to death, while the truly guilty walked away unpunished.”

David emphasized that capital punishment often targets the poor while the rich escape unscathed.

“The answer to corruption cannot be more death, but a deeper reform of justice: one that protects the poor and holds the powerful accountable,” he said in a Facebook post.

He was among several Church leaders who attended the anti-corruption protest, which he described as “a moral stand” rather than a political event.

Proposals to revive the death penalty in the Philippines have resurfaced over the years, especially for crimes such as corruption and drug trafficking. Earlier in 2025, a bill seeking death by firing squad for corrupt officials was filed in the House of Representatives.

However, the Commission on Human Rights warned that such measures obscure the need for systemic reforms:

“Such cruel punishment does not address the problem; instead, it obscures the need for systemic reforms and misdirects focus from preventative measures,” the CHR said. Political analyst Dr. Anthony Lawrence Borja likewise called the push for capital punishment “a manifestation of both sustained discontent over corruption tied with a ruthless sense of pragmatism.”

As calls for accountability grow louder, the debate continues over whether extreme punishments like the death penalty would curb corruption — or simply add to the injustices already present in the system.