The House leadership is now circling the wagons around the death penalty bill, with House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez saying that deputy speakers and committee chairmen against the measure will be replaced in their leadership positions.

"Yes, pagka deputy speaker, pangit naman na di ka sang-ayon sa administration-sponsored bill at pag chairman ka ng committees. Papalitan namin...Deputy speakers na di sasama doon sa administration bill, papalitan natin kasi awkward na deputy speaker ka. Papalitan din," he said.

Alvarez said PDP Laban members who are against the measure are also free to leave the party.

"They are free to resign from the party. I will not force them, of course," he said.

Alvarez made the declaration before meeting with members of the PDP-Laban in a morning caucus. The caucus led to the cancellation of morning committee meetings. The party has about 100 members.

"I will just tell the members of the PDP Laban dito sa House of Representatives na party stand yung restoration of the death penalty," he said.

"Kasi party stand yan eh. If you don't agree with the party stand, you might as well quit doon sa membership sa party."

Alvarez also dismissed criticism that reimposing the death penalty will violate the international treaties entered into by the Philippines that bar the re-imposition of the death penalty.

He said the Philippine Constitution allows the re-imposition of the death penalty. That argument has been used in the Senate to torpedo the bill.

"Alam nating lahat, nag-aral ako ng law, ang tinuro to amend the Constitution, tatlong paraan lang po--yung constitutional convention, constituent assembly, at people's initiative," he said.

"Di nakalagay na kasama ang treaties sa pag-amyenda ng Constitution. I don't agree with that opinion. Kahit na anong treaty yun, it cannot amend the Constitution na nagsasabi na pwede ang death penalty dito sa Pilipinas," he added.

Justice Committee Chair Rey Umali, who is among the sponsors of House Bill 4774, also concurred with Alvarez's belief.

"A treaty is just like any other law. I mean a law can be amended depending on policies of government. I don't think there is any prohibition in government to change in policies especially in matters like death penalty when the situation like the criminality and drug problem is getting worse," said Umali.

"While we are bound by treaties and it is part of the law of the land, like any other law it can be amended, so I don't know where senate is coming from," he said.

"Are we saying that we cannot amend any of our laws? Kung Constitution yun, it is different; but the Constitution allows us to impose death penalty."

Umali also said treaties can always be rescinded.

"It is a necessary consequence of a law that will pass, that will supersede whatever that treaty states. It is not a precondition for us to adopt any new policy that we feel is best for our country," he said.

"As any law would state, any law deemed inconsistent with the new law is hereby amended. Ganun kasimple lang yun. I don't [know] what's in the mind of our senators that government cannot act simply because of a treaty," he added.

"Nagte-threaten nga si president na mag dissociate fron UN eh. Although it might not be a good posturing but then there are local problems that treaties can be an imposition on us and criminality and drug problem is one such problem that our own government can adopt our own policy that will respond to it"

The Philippines is a signatory to the 2nd Option Protocol to the International Covention on Civil and Political Rights which bars the imposition of the death penalty.

Umali dismissed the pronouncement of a few senators against the death penalty, holding out belief that the House is not attempting to pass the bill in futility.

"Not necessarily so. That is just one or two senators talking; they are not the Senate. Senate is composed of 24 senators, so it will be a majority of all the senators."

Umali is confident that the party leadership is working on getting the votes.

Alvarez said he has already sought the cooperation of other parties in the supermajority.

"I already asked their cooperation since they belong to the majority (other parties)...Sasabihin ko lang eto party stand yun lang, of course (if they cannot support it resign) heinous crimes at saka in-enumerate heinous crimes," he said.

DRUG OFFENSES

Alvarez however is open to amending the bill to limit the death penalty to just illegal drugs related offenses. "Open naman tayo sa amendment ng... hindi naman tayo sarado doon sa mga amendments."

Death penalty critic Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate said he and his colleagues in the Makabayan bloc remain members of the majority and will engage the leadership on the matter but they remain steadfast against the death penalty.

"Kami naman, principled naman yung pagboboto namin. Bukas na bukas naman kami sa aming mga tayo. Sabi namin in fact nung nakikipagusap kay Speaker Alvarez, susuportahan kanyang leadership pero we will keep our independence sa issues na sa tingin namin di para sa kabutihan ng mamayan," he said.

"We still have to discuss on this dahil ito naman buo naming pinag-usapan, di naman Bayan Muna. We will engage, dialogue, track record of Bayan Muna and Makabayan will speak for itself; pero tayo, willing naman makipag-cooperate na pwede magka-usap sa usapin ng pro-people legislation," he added.

"At this point we have to engage makipag-usap sa liderato ng Kamara. The leadership accommodates yung healthy discussion on issues. We still have to discuss this and dialogue with the leadership ...dahil principled stand ng ano yun as a matter of principle we have to take a stand sa usapin ng death penalty."

Zarate refused to link the disagreement on the death penalty to the ongoing peace process.

"Alam niyo in this very sensitive and critical moment especially sa usapin ng peace process, I'd rather tuloy pananawagan na itulak ang both panels na ituloy ang usaping pangkapayapaan rather than dagdagan ang maiinit na pananalita," he said.

Deputy Speaker, Former President Gloria Arroyo has already stated she is going to vote against the death penalty. It was Arroyo's administration that repealed the death penalty in 2006.

Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat said, "If the Speaker does that, he risks losing the support of the political parties comprising the super coalition."

"Most of the parties have adopted a policy of conscience vote. But if the Speaker insists, then he wants Congress to become a authoritarian body not a democratic one," he added.