8List.ph
  • News
    • Showbiz
    • Opinion
    • Sports
    • Profiles
    • Weird
  • Adulting
    • Career
    • Money
    • Health
    • School & Learning
    • Relationships
  • Pop
    • Movies & TV
    • Music
    • Books
    • Games
    • Theater
    • Retro
    • K-World
  • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Beauty
    • Food & Drink
    • Nest
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Pinoy
  • Videos
    • 8List Asks
    • Pagsubeks
    • Kaya Today!
    • Archives
      • 8list Plays
      • 8List Explores
      • 8List Presents
      • 88 Seconds
      • 8secs
      • Filgood
      • Isabuhay Ang Panata
      • #8MinutesWith
      • YOUth DECIDE
      • Str8 Up with Delamar
      • Toughest Job 2016
  • H8 Mondays
  • Breathe
  • About
  • Sitemap
  • Advertise
  • Privacy
  • Archive
  • Bitesized.ph
  • Windowseat.ph

 

 

 

8List.ph is published by ID8, Inc.

Subscribe
8List.ph
8List.ph
  • News
    • Showbiz
    • Opinion
    • Sports
    • Profiles
    • Weird
  • Adulting
    • Career
    • Money
    • Health
    • School & Learning
    • Relationships
  • Pop
    • Movies & TV
    • Music
    • Books
    • Games
    • Theater
    • Retro
    • K-World
  • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Beauty
    • Food & Drink
    • Nest
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Pinoy
  • Videos
    • 8List Asks
    • Pagsubeks
    • Kaya Today!
    • Archives
      • 8list Plays
      • 8List Explores
      • 8List Presents
      • 88 Seconds
      • 8secs
      • Filgood
      • Isabuhay Ang Panata
      • #8MinutesWith
      • YOUth DECIDE
      • Str8 Up with Delamar
      • Toughest Job 2016
  • H8 Mondays
  • Breathe
  • News

What the PH was Like When the Death Penalty was Legal

  • Posted on Jan 13, 2016
  • 5 minute read
  • Abu Poblete
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0
What the PH was Like When Death Penalty Was Legal

When the Indonesian Government sentenced Filipino Mary Jane Veloso to death for smuggling 2.6 kilograms of heroin into their country in 2015, the country went up in arms. Although human rights groups and even President Noynoy Aquino himself worked to achieve Veloso’s reprieve last April 2015, the battle to free the OFW still has a long way to go.

Some may think the death penalty is an archaic punishment for criminals, it is still very much alive in a number of countries. Just in the Asia Pacific countries like China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and of course Indonesia, among others, retain the death penalty. In the Philippines, it has been 17 years since someone was lawfully executed. Here’s a timeline of the history of capital punishment in the country.

 

The Spanish Era: The birth of capital punishment in the Philippines

8 What the PH was Like When Death Penalty Was Legal
Along with everything else the Spanish brought to the Filipinas was the 1848 Spanish Codigo Penal–a law allowing capital punishment to be imposed on locals who went against the Spanish government. Despite around 1,700 death sentences, however, only 46 were executed.

The methods used then to execute criminals included burning, decapitation, drowning, flaying, garrote, hanging, shooting and stabbing.

And yes, this was the era where some of our national heroes were executed–GOMBURZA, Magat Salamat and Jose Rizal.

 

The American Era: Continuation of the “pacification process” of the country

7 What the PH was Like When Death Penalty Was Legal

When the Americans “won” the Philippines in the 1898 Battle of Manila against the Spanish occupation, they continued some of the laws from the Codigo panel. The death penalty was one of the things they adopted. The Americans revised the Codigo and added treason, parricide, piracy, kidnapping, murder, rape and robbery with homicide as capital offenses that result in the death penalty.

The Americans’ grounds of prosecution were those who went against the laws the US government had implemented in the country. Filipinos were under the Sedition Law, which was against those who advocated Philippine independence from American authority. The Brigandage Act was also legalized, which prohibited Filipinos from taking up arms or moving against the Americans. They also legalized the Reconcentration Act to disallow rebels from hiring innocent citizens as battle support. Another law they enacted was the Flag Law that forbade anyone from using the Philippine flag, banner, symbol or anthem to symbolize or represent nationalist parties. Anyone who went against these laws were legally subjected to death, among other punishments.

The electric chair was the chosen method of execution used by the American government to those who opposed them.

 

The Japanese Era: Extrajudicial executions

6 What the PH was Like When Death Penalty Was Legal

Via wikimedia.org

During the Japanese era (which lasted from 1942 to 1945), there were no recorded capital punishment cases but the extrajudicial killings by the Japanese authority has been estimated at around one million casualties. It’s important, at this point, to also remind you of the physical destruction the whole country suffered during the Japanese regime–entire cities destroyed to their roots. The occupation ended on September 2, 1945 after a long battle between the Filipinos, Americans and Japanese.

 

The Marcos Era: Climb in capital crime, extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, unlawful killings

5 What the PH was Like When Death Penalty Was Legal

Via getrealphilippines.com

During the regime of Ferdinand Marcos, the number of those executed rose. The crimes that merited capital punishment blossomed to 24: arson, subversion, illegal fishing, embezzlement, cattle rusting, possession of firearms, hijacking, drug-related offenses and unlawful possession of firearms, among others.

A total of 31 executions were conducted during the Marcos era–a number which doesn’t even compare to the 759 involuntary disappearances, 800 illegal abductions, 35,000 torture victims, 70,000 incarcerated and 3,257 victims of extrajudicial killings (that we know of).

Halfway through Marcos’ regime, the electric chair was still the chosen means of execution. Death by firing squad was the next most-used method.

 

Pages: 1 2


1 2Next page
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0
Abu Poblete

Abu is a fangirl by day, and a sleeping fangirl by night. She is mostly seen on Twitter which she considers her first home even though she loathes with all her being its cancel culture (We can all grow and learn guys!). She ranks as the Philippines' number one Modern Family fan in QuizUp. She's a cool girl (she also wrote this write-up).

Previous Article
  • Pop

My Innocent Eyes! 8 Things You Should Never Search on Google

  • Posted on Jan 13, 2016Jan 14, 2016
  • Kevin Christian L. Santos
View Post
Next Article
  • Pop

8 Awesome Things that Are Making a Comeback this Year

  • Posted on Jan 14, 2016Jan 26, 2016
  • Abu Poblete
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • News

Shockingly Vile: 15-Year-Old Jeffrey Dahmer Fan Murders His 4-Year-Old Nephew in Las Piñas

  • Posted on Jun 1, 2023
  • Kyzia Maramara
View Post
  • News

Netizens Call Out Male Public School Teacher for Viral Video of His ‘Morena Girl’ Student

  • Posted on May 30, 2023May 30, 2023
  • Kyzia Maramara
View Post
  • News
  • Pinoy

Another Cultural Landmark, Gone? Manila Post Office Burns Down

  • Posted on May 22, 2023
  • Edgardo Toledo
View Post
  • News

Netizens Ask: Did This Negros Student Really Get Into 30 International Universities?

  • Posted on May 20, 2023May 24, 2023
  • Kaira Guererro
View Post
  • News

RIP Marshall and Millions: The Internet Is Enraged Over the ‘Barbaric’ Killing of Two Young Dogs

  • Posted on May 17, 2023May 18, 2023
  • Kyzia Maramara
View Post
  • News

These Game-Changing Ideas from Young Filipinos Could Revolutionize the Insurance Landscape

  • Posted on May 8, 2023May 8, 2023
  • 8List Editor
View Post
  • News

After National IDs and Driver’s Licenses Printed on Paper, It Looks Like Plate Numbers Are Next

  • Posted on May 2, 2023
  • Kyzia Maramara
View Post
  • News

New Modus Alert? Los Baños Woman Was Allegedly Nearly ‘Drugged’ with Perfume

  • Posted on Apr 27, 2023
  • Kyzia Maramara

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Get the l8est delivered right to your inbox.

8List.ph
  • About
  • Sitemap
  • Advertise
  • Privacy
  • Archive
  • Bitesized.ph
  • Windowseat.ph
Your daily dose of entertaining, useful and informative lists.

Input your search keywords and press Enter.