Deputy Speaker Gloria Arroyo is not budging from her stand opposing the reimposition of the death penalty even if she is allied with President Rodrigo Duterte.
“I spoke to President Duterte about it, and it is alright with him if I oppose the death penalty,” Arroyo told reporters.
The House Sub-Committee on Judicial Reforms recently approved the death penalty bill.
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has said the measure will be approved by the House of Representatives before the Christmas break.
The death penalty was abolished in 2006 when Arroyo was the president.
Asked if the drug problem is a valid justification for the reimposition of death penalty, Arroyo said she could not second-guess the president.
“I will not argue (with that reasoning). I am not the president anymore. I have personal conviction, but he is the president now. I am against it, but I want the administration to succeed,” she pointed out.“He (Duterte) has to decide how to deal with it,” Arroyo added.
On the firing of Vice President Leni Robredo by text, the former leader said it has been done before. “It was inevitable because of their divergence on a lot of issues,” she told reporters.
“When I was the president, I had differences of opinions with my Cabinet members. One of my senior officials also got booted through a text message, so it has been done before,” Arroyo explained.
“Speaking from experience, I also recall receiving a text message asking me not to attend a certain Estrada Cabinet meeting, and I respected the instruction. It can be done,” she added.


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