Instilling the fear of death among criminals

In response to the article titled “Clamor vs death penalty reimposition mounts” (News, 5/21/16), with all due respect, I disagree with German Ambassador to the Philippines Thomas Ossowski’s opposition to the reimposition of death penalty.

A lot of very good arguments against the death penalty can be made, no doubt about it. But I still believe in deterrence which kept the Cold War from breaking out into a real war.

1. Tooth for a tooth, eye for an eye. One must be made to fear the consequences of his/her action. The fear of death is often more cruel than death itself.

2. A notorious criminal is to society what a virus is to a human body. Sometimes a doctor has to excise a body part to save the life of a patient. So must a criminal be “excised” to protect society.

3. Capital punishment is the cheapest way to eliminate criminals. Eliminate permanently negative elements in society to establish a more humane society. Until scientists are able to find a safe way to make a sick DNA healthy—criminal minds are sick—capital punishment should be the way to eliminate criminals.

Of course, capital punishment should be applied only to those who commit major or heinous crimes like murder and rape.

Take a look at India’s experience with gang rapes. Think of your daughter, sister or mother.

Think of the Islamic State terrorists who burned alive a pilot from Jordan inside a cage, even flaunting their brutal act online. Think of somebody being killed just because he harbors a different political opinion or belongs to a different faith or is an atheist; this is no reason to kill somebody. Think of the Canadian citizen who was beheaded by the IS.

—DR. JÜRGEN SCHÖFER, PhD, [email protected]