House Bill Proposes Death by Firing Squad for Corrupt Politicians

(SPOT.ph) A new bill is hoping to bring back the death penalty in the Philippines, but with a twist: it's exclusively for public officials convicted of corruption. This is done not by lethal injection or the electric chair… but by firing squad à la Jose Rizal.

You read that right. House Bill 11211 by Zamboanga Representative Khymer Olaso proposes death by firing squad for all officials found guilty of graft, corruption, plunder, or malversation of public funds to “send a strong message.” 

“Despite the existence of numerous laws aimed at combating graft, malversation, and plunder, the persistence of these crimes suggests that current measures are insufficient to deter public officials from engaging in corrupt practices,” Olaso wrote in his explanatory note. “The bill emphasizes accountability and deterrence, making it clear that public office is a public trust, and any violation of that trust must be met with the severest consequences.”

The scope of the bill is as broad as it is bold—it covers everyone from the executive branch of government to barangay officials. It also applies to members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, constitutional commissions, and government-controlled corporations.

Also read: Netflix Shows That May or May Not Change Your Stand on Death Penalty

Will the death penalty stop corrupt politicians?

Under the bill, the execution won’t happen without a thorough process. It would only be carried out after the Supreme Court has affirmed the conviction and all legal remedies—including appeals, reconsiderations, and so on—have been exhausted to prevent wrongful executions from taking place.

“These safeguards aim to uphold the fundamental rights of the accused while ensuring that the imposition of death penalty is applied only in cases where guilt is conclusively established,” it said in the House Bill's Section 5.

We know corruption has a profound impact on a country's economic situation. A 2019 report by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) indicated that corruption at the national level was estimated to account for 20% of the annual national budget. Applying this percentage to the 2024 national budget translates to approximately P1.6 trillion lost to corrupt practices. With numbers like these, no wonder the bill sounds close to going out for blood.

Will this bill pass? Your guess is as good as ours.

Also read: Philippines Ranks 115th in Corruption Perception Index