Comedian-actor Bayani Agbayani on Friday called on Congress to restore the death penalty for government officials found guilty of stealing public funds, saying harsher sanctions are needed to curb what he described as long-running, brazen corruption.
In a video posted to his Instagram account, Agbayani addressed both chambers of the legislature and urged them to pass a law imposing capital punishment for those who steal from the public treasury. “Ako po’y nananawagan sa ating legislative branch of government. Sa ating mataas na kapulungan at sa ating mababang kapulungan ng kongreso. Para po matigil na ang pagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan ng mga ganid, suwapang, makakapal ang mukha,” he said.
Agbayani argued that the penalty should apply to any public official who steals “from one peso to a trillion pesos,” adding bluntly: “Kung sino man po ang nagtatrabaho sa gobyerno ang magnakaw ng piso hanggang trillion pesos ay bitay ang hatol.”
He also listed other forms of execution as possible methods of enforcement — “Kamatayan, firing squad, lethal injection, [at] silya elektrika. Gawin niyo po ‘yan. Sana po gawin niyo. Kasi ‘yong death penalty, ayaw niyo dahil kasama do’n ang plunder, e,” — and implored lawmakers to act “now” to stop what he called decades of pillaging: “Fetus pa lang kami, nagnanakaw na kayo. Wala kayong kabusugan, hanggang ngayon nagnanakaw pa rin kayo.”
Agbayani further attacked political dynasties, accusing families who have held power for generations of systematically enriching themselves: “At kung mapapansin niyo, iisa lang ang apelyido niyo. Lolo niyo, tatay niyo, kapatid niyo, pinsan niyo, kayo-kayo ang nagnakaw mula noon sa gobyerno. Ang kakapal ng mukha niyo.”
The comedian did not name any specific politicians in his remarks.
Agbayani’s call comes amid a wave of public anger over alleged anomalies in multi-billion-peso flood-control projects and other corruption scandals. The reimposition of the death penalty is a contested proposal in the Philippines: the country abolished capital punishment in 2006, and past efforts to reinstate it have generated heated debate among lawmakers, rights groups and the public.
Notably, entertainer Vice Ganda — who has been active in anti-corruption rallies — also urged tougher punishments for corrupt officials during recent protests, saying harsher penalties, including death, should be considered for proven cases of large-scale corruption.
Human-rights advocates and legal experts have long warned against reinstating capital punishment, citing risks of wrongful convictions, the need for judicial reform, and international human-rights obligations. Any move to restore the death penalty would require legislation and would likely prompt vigorous public and legal debate.
Agbayani’s full video remains online on his Instagram page.
