In the Netherlands, the death penalty was abolished in 1870, according to reader Marteen van Rosen. That early? Amazing. That was a good two years before the Cavite Mutiny which resulted in the execution at Bagumbayan of the 13 martyrs and Fathers Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora. Though innocent, they were all given the death sentence.

However, another reader, Dr. Isabelo S. Alcordo, Ph.D., said that “...the state/government must ignore the position of the Roman Catholic Church with respect to the imposition of the death penalty for murderers, for it is God’s Law’ for the protection of God’s people.”

Expounding, Dr. Alcordo quoted Genesis 9:6: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.” He also said that God provided “places of refuge for those who shed blood accidentally,” that is, without pre-meditation or murderous intent.

Apparently in Num 35:10-12, it is stated that there will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that a person accused of murder may not die before he stands trial before an assembly. Hence, Dr. Alcordo, said, “the sixth command of the Ten Commandments is correctly expressed in Dt 5:17 as “You shall not murder.” Nowhere in the New Testament did Jesus ever abrogate the application of the death penalty for murderers! (gemma601@yahoo.com)