MANILA, Philippines — Dismayed and angered over alleged widespread anomalies within the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Angel Locsin on Tuesday made known her preference for long-term prison sentences — without the possibility of parole — for corrupt officials who “have no heart.”
Image: Instagram/@therealangellocsin
In an Instagram Story entry on Monday, the outspoken Kapamilya actress was reacting to an Inquirer.net post where Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri exposed more “money-making schemes” in the state health insurer.
Among the schemes uncovered by Zubiri include an 18-bed infirmary in the Davao region getting P10 million a year in benefit claims, as well as clinics sharing “rebates” with PhilHealth officials.
Locsin admitted that while she is against the death penalty, she said that people who “steal from the poor and sickly” deserve to be sentenced with capital punishment.
“I’m against death penalty,” Locsin said, “but for the people who steal from the poor and sick, especially during a pandemic, you deserve the death penalty.”
Image: Instagram/@therealangellocsin
But in another Instagram Story entry, Locsin took a U-turn in her stance.
“Changed my mind. Mahaba-habang pagkakakulong sa siksikan na preso, with no chance of parole [para] sa mga walang pusong corrupt officials,” she said.
Calls for the revival of capital punishment in the Philippines were reignited with President Rodrigo Duterte making another push for it during his fifth State of the Nation Address.
The Philippines abolished death penalty in June 2006 when former when then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Republic Act No. 9346, also known as An Act Prohibiting the Imposition of the Death Penalty in the Philippines.