The death penalty bill is one of the most heated issues in the country today. Naturally, it will spark a lot of debates. Once again, Philippine ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Teddy Locsin Jr. weighed in on the burning issue via Twitter and ended up causing an even bigger social media fire.



The death penalty bill is already controversial enough, but adding the discussion of rape to it makes it even more so.



Rape removed from death penalty offenses

On Monday, February 20, the House majority decided in a caucus to reduce the number of offenses covered in the death penalty. House majority leader Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas explained that they did this to increase the bill's chances of being passed in the Senate.



In his ABS-CBN News report, RG Cruz quoted Fariñas as saying, "Kami ang posisyon ni (House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez), i-whittle natin sa bare minimum. Tingnan natin kung papasa sa Senate kasi if we include so many offenses and 'di maski isa 'di papasa sa Senate (We agreed with the position of House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to whittle it down to the bare minimum of offenses. Let's see if it passes in the Senate because if we include so many offenses, it may not get passed in the Senate)."



The report noted: "As such, the proposed death penalty bill now only covers three offense: drug-related crimes, plunder, and treason."



Then again, Fariñas pointed out that they could add other offenses if the Senate passes the bill.

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Teddy Locsin Jr.'s latest Twitter argument

Locsin reacted to the ABS-CBN News story on the removal of rape from the list of death penalty offenses, tweeting, "Fair. Why not only on a case-to-case basis for heinous crimes as SC determines, which anyway can strike down every death sentence."

@ANCALERTS Fair. Why not only on a case to case basis for heinous crimes as SC determines, which anyway can strike down every death sentence — Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) February 20, 2017

Another Twitter user then asked Locsin, "Are you saying that rape is not a heinous crime?" Locsin then tweeted in response, "It is a crime, an indignity, an outrage—but not a heinous crime. What's wrong with you?"

@AngelisePerion @ANCALERTS Not is not a heinous crime. It is a crime, an indignity, an outrage but not a heinous crime. What's wrong w you? — Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) February 20, 2017

Locsin went on to tweet so many other examples of heinous crimes in response to other Twitter users who had found his rape comment insensitive.

@AngelisePerion @ANCALERTS Rape when an ugly man in power beds a young girl who is poor, that's heinous or his face is. — Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) February 20, 2017

@AngelisePerion @ANCALERTS Gang rape like in India where they raped girl then raped her with led pipes until they tore her up—heinous. — Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) February 20, 2017

@stefanieumali Hey, politicians rape young girls with their money all the time. At panget pa sila. Think they will DP themselves? — Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) February 20, 2017

@AngelisePerion @ANCALERTS Want more? Killing is not heinous, not even premeditated. It is a common crime. — Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) February 20, 2017

@Pattygrew Setting young girls on fire in a cage like ISIS does, that's heinous. — Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) February 20, 2017

@MsDearlady Oh yes I might, if I go to jail and get raped in the showers by big men but it would still not be heinous. — Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) February 20, 2017

But while Locsin seems to have viewed the Twitter encounter as just another lively exchange of ideas, so many others thought his remarks were in bad taste.

@teddyboylocsin so if your daughter mother or sister gets raped, thats ok with you and all is well? i mean, rape isnt a heinous crime right? — father dan (@wetchurro) February 20, 2017

@teddyboylocsin @AngelisePerion @ANCALERTS Have you ever been a rape victim or encountered a rape victim for you to say that so easily? WTF — Rainiermaxis Mendoza (@rainiermaxism) February 20, 2017

@teddyboylocsin @Pattygrew How many of your family members or friends have to be raped before it is heinous? To think I respected u. Gosh! — The Silent Minority (@RNITGuy) February 20, 2017

For what it's worth, at least Locsin's tweets are going to make people rethink the classification of heinous crimes. Sometimes collective outrage is needed to get things done.

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