By Vanne Elaine Terrazola  The Senate is expected to debate on the controversial proposal to reimpose death penalty in the Philippines during the 18th Congress. Sen. Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri
(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) But Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said its approval won't be as easy, even as the proposal is gaining support from new and returning senators especially those allied with the Duterte administration. "We all know that many of the senators that won in the platform of President...are pro-death penalty senators. So the chances that it would be taken up in this Senate are of course, a very big one," Zubiri told Senate reporters in an interview Wednesday afternoon. Proposals to reinstate capital punishment for heinous crimes languished in Senate, with at least nine bills shelved by the end of the 17th Congress. As the 18th Congress opens this month, some of its proponents are reviving the measure, hoping that it will hurdle the chamber this time. Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go on Tuesday included in his priority bills the death penalty for cases of illegal drugs and plunder. On Wednesday, Sen. Manny Pacquiao filed his version against heinous crimes, which also included illegal drugs. Senate President Vicente Sotto III also reiterated his proposal to impose death penalty for high-level drug trafficking, which he said, will "stand a better chance" in Senate. Zubiri, however, said several senators both from the majority and the minority blocs are also opposed to death penalty, including him. "As a Red Cross humanitarian, we feel that all life is sacred, even the life of a criminal is sacred, and basic human right be given to these particular individuals," he said, noting that he has been a Red Cross member for 20 years. Zubiri said he is also looking into studies and figures that will prove that death penalty will be a deterrent to crimes. Sen. Richard Gordon, who chairs the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights which handled the death penalty proposal, is also known to be against it. Zubiri said Gordon is willing to relinquish anew his sponsorship of the measure to those are "passionate about it". Last Congress, Gordon passed on the sponsorship of the bill to Pacquiao. Despite his reservations, the Majority Leader assured that he will give the proponents "all the opportunities and due process to be able to hear and prioritize specific measures, whatever it is." Zubiri said he expects a "good and healthy discussion" on the issue when it is calendared for plenary debates.