MANILA — President Duterte wants to reimpose the death penalty to ensure that criminals pay for their sins in case God does not exist.

Duterte said “bleeding hearts” like priests and human rights groups claimed that the death penalty did not deter crime when it was in effect for years. But he said the problem was past presidents did not have the political will to use it to strike fear in the hearts of criminals.

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“Every president along the way didn’t impose it only because the Catholic Church and all the bleeding hearts would say that only God could kill. But what if there is no God?” said Duterte in a speech in Malacañang Monday afternoon.

“When a one-year-old baby, 18-months-old baby is taken from the mother’s arms brought under a jeep and raped and killed. So where is God? My God, where are you?” asked Duterte.

“I believe in God but that is my perpetual question to him. Where were you when we needed you? It’s not enough to say that at the end of the world, he will judge the living and the dead. What would be the purpose of all of that if the heartaches, sorrows and agony have already been inflicted in this world?” asked Duterte.

While the Philippines has always been a predominantly Catholic country, some are atheists and agnostics, according to Duterte. “Mind you, its not only one or two or three, in this age a lot of questioning (God) now,” said Duterte.

He sought for a return of the death penalty because that would be the only way to win justice for the victims of heinous crimes.

Duterte, who grew up under the wings of priests from grade school to to law school, said that the lack of justice for victims of crime has made him question the existence and purpose of God while growing up. SFM

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