A decision in search of a Senate investigation into the latest spate of assaults in opposition to native authorities officers was filed after the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.
Senator Risa Hontiveros proposed Senate Resolution 518 “not only to exact justice for the victims, but also to identify the underlying drivers of the killings, particularly the failure and inaction of our institutions, especially our law enforcement agencies, to address political violence, as well as election-related violence.
“Such investigation will even assist deal with the tradition of impunity that provides rise to the rising brazenness of the strategy of the assassinations and/or tried assassinations.”
In her resolution, Hontiveros mentioned the Supreme Court’s recent declaration of Degamo as the rightful winner of the gubernatorial race in Negros Oriental.
This, she said, made it “crucial to research whether or not or not the homicide was a consequence of this chain of occasions.”
She noted that this is not the first time that Negros Oriental “swept the headlines for incidents of political violence” which was “characterised not solely by its brazenness but in addition by the complicity, if not lively involvement, of males within the uniformed service.”
The senator added that Degamo’s killing comes at the heels of other political killings and attempted assassinations, particularly that of Cagayan Vice Mayor Rommel Almeda; the wounding of Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. and Mayor Ohto Caumbo Montawal in Maguindanao del Sur; the killing of former Vice Mayor Daniel Amat of Dolores, Quezon Province; former Vice Mayor Romeo Sulit from Lobo, Batangas; and former Mayor Rosita Furigay of Lamitan City, Basilan.
In a statement, Hontiveros called on Malacanang to speak on this issue “past particular person instances”, adding that the killings were becoming “more and more disturbing” as a consequence of some males within the uniformed service being implicated within the assaults.
“The virus of impunity continues to proliferate, and our state forces are heavily infected. How can the public trust killers masquerading as law enforcement? Who is giving the marching orders?” she requested.
“Huwag nating gawin normal ang patayan (Let’s not normalize these assassinations). The past years have encouraged murder as a default way of silencing and manipulating. Our people are not just collateral damage of political agendas. It is time for a rude awakening for those who abuse their power. The government must take a strong stand as an institution to condemn these killings and to take concrete actions to end this savagery,” she added.
Further, Hontiveros said there was a need for the Comelec to review its process on settling election-related disputes and violence.
“COMELEC’s processes have become increasingly ineffective and inefficient. The inordinate delay of COMELEC en banc rulings may have aggravated vindictiveness. Election-related killings tarnish the sanctity of our elections, which COMELEC is responsible for protecting. Their call of duty is beyond election day,” she mentioned.
GMA News Online sought the remark of Comelec Chairman George Garcia on Hontiveros’ assertion, however he has but to reply as of posting time.
‘Perceived to be weak’
Meanwhile, 15 senators filed a separate decision condemning the sequence of assaults in opposition to native authorities officers and different non-public people.
In proposed Senate Resolution 517, the senators famous that apart from the Degamo killing, there have been at the least three extra native executives who have been injured or killed in ambushes in a span of 15 days from February 17 to March 3.
These incidents occurred exterior the victims’ jurisdiction the place the Philippine National Police’s or Armed Forces of the Philippines’ presence was “perceived to be weak by the assailants,” the senators added.
Among the incidents that they talked about have been these in opposition to Adiong, Almeda, Montawal, Amat, Furigay, Sulit, former Dipaculao, Aurora Vice Mayor Narciso Amansec, and former Calbiga, Samar Mayor Miguel Abaigar Jr.
“Injustice and violence do not have a place in any civilized society and no cause justifies brutalities against the lives of all persons,” the senators mentioned.
“The Senate of the Philippines, in the strongest sense, urges the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies to exert all efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice not only for the sake of all victims and their families, but to ensure that the rule of law is upheld at all times for an orderly and peaceful society,” they added.
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva led the submitting of the decision. He was joined by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, Senators Nancy Binay, Raffy Tulfo, Ronald dela Rosa, Francis Tolentino, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Go, JV Ejercito, Grace Poe, Sonny Angara, Bong Revilla Jr., Sherwin Gatchalian, and Mark Villar.
State of nationwide emergency
In a separate assertion, Senator Imee Marcos known as for the declaration of a state of emergency in Negros Oriental following Degamo’s demise.
“Kailangan matigil at mahuli itong mga ito. Hindi lamang yung mga hitman o yung pumatay kundi yung mastermind, yung paymasters nila at kung sinuman ang nag-conspire para mangyari ito,” Marcos mentioned.
(The perpetrators must be stopped and caught. Not simply the hitmen or killers, however the masterminds, their paymasters, and whoever else they conspired with.)
Meanwhile, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero urged the federal government to make use of its intelligence funds in an “all-out-war” in opposition to gun-for-hire syndicates.
In an announcement, Escudero mentioned solely the identification and dismantling of teams of employed killers can cease these assassinations, as he believed that Degamo’s demise was “among the many signs that paid killings is becoming a cottage industry in the Philippines.”
He said that some P5.22 billion in intelligence funds should be distributed across several agencies and should be tapped in creating an actionable database of these killers.
If these perpetrators have pending warrants of arrest and they are armed and dangerous, Escudero said their listing could be an “order of battle.”
“Kaya kahit mahuli pa ang pumatay kay Governor Degamo, hindi garantiya ‘yan na walang kasunod kung merong mga kriminal na ginawang negosyo ang pagkitil ng buhay,” Escudero said.
(So even if Governor Degamo’s killers are caught, there is no guarantee there won’t be others if there are criminals who make a living out of assassinations.)
“Killings eventually become a revolving door phenomenon if we do not neutralize the actors now and in the long run, fix the kinks in our justice system,” he added.
He also pointed out that there were numerous killings of ordinary people that merely “stay entries in police blotters.”
“People get emboldened if they see murders go unsolved. Kapag hindi nahuli, it incentivizes future acts. Maraming nagsasabi na bakit pa ipa-papulis o magsasampa ng kaso na gagastos pa na meron naman shortcut. ‘Yan ang kalunus-lunos na katotohanan sa maraming lugar,” Escudero mentioned.
(If they don’t seem to be caught it incentivizes future acts. Many are asking, “Why bother calling the cops or filing a case? You’d just end up spending when there is a shortcut.” That’s the unhappy reality in lots of locations.) — DVM, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
