Int’l rights group urge PH lawmakers to oppose death penalty MANILA, Philippines---An international human rights group composed of members across Southeast Asia called on Philippine legislators to strongly oppose efforts aimed at reintroducing the death penalty in the country. There have been 13 bills related to the death penalty filed in the House of Representatives while 11 are pending in the Senate following President Rodrigo Duterte's wish during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) to revive capital punishment in his efforts to curb crime rates. Charles Santiago, a member of the Malaysian parliament and chair of the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, said reinstating the death penalty in the Philippines is in direct violation of the… Keep on reading: Int’l rights group urge PH lawmakers to oppose death penalty