The Duterte administration remains firm in pushing for the revival of the death penalty in the country despite Pope Francis' stance that capital punishment is wrong in all cases.

In a press briefing in Bukidnon on Friday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that the bill imposing the death penalty on heinous crimes, particularly those related to illegal drugs, is pending in the Senate.

"It's still a priority of the administration to reimpose the death penalty for serious drug-related offenses," he said.

The House of Representatives has approved on third reading its own version of the death penalty bill.

Roque said the decision to revive the death penalty is in the hands of the Senate.

In June 2006, then President and now Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Republic Act No. 9346 suspending the imposition of the death penalty in the Philippines.

The 1987 Constitution does not prohibit the imposition of capital punishment.

Under Article III or Bill of Rights of 1987 Constitution, it provides, "Neither shall death penalty be imposed, unless, for compelling reasons involving heinous crimes, the Congress hereafter provides for it."

According to his latest pronouncement, Pooe Francis said that capital punishment is unacceptable in all cases because it is "an attack" on human dignity.

The Vatican said that the church would work with determination to abolish the death penalty worldwide.

The Philippines is considered as the only Christian nation in Asia, with over 80 percent of the population as Roman Catholic. Celerina Monte/DMS