Bill seeks death penalty for EJKs by gov't officials

A bill has been filed in the House of Representatives seeking to classify extrajudicial killings (EJKs) committed by government officials as a heinous crime.

House Bill (HB) 10986, or the proposed Anti-Extrajudicial Killing Act, was filed by Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. and several House quad committee co-chairpersons and vice-chair.

If enacted into law, individuals found guilty of EJKs could face the penalty of death.

The proposed legislation defines EJKs as deliberate and arbitrary killings not authorized by a prior court judgment that provides all necessary judicial guarantees.

The bill aims to explicitly criminalize EJKs, ensuring that perpetrators, regardless of their position, face appropriate penalties.

The measure specifies that such killings can be perpetrated by public officers, persons in authority, their agents, or anyone acting under government authority.

The bill's authors stated that EJKs pose a grave threat to the rule of law, democracy, and the protection of human rights, bypassing established judicial procedures and undermining public trust in the justice system.

They also noted that the lack of accountability for such crimes contributes to a "culture of impunity."