An organization of lawyers on Tuesday, July 7, denounced the continued killing of prosecutors under the administration of President Duterte.
Manila chief inquest prosecutor Jovencio Senados Bagares, 62, was gunned down at around 11:05 a.m. along Quirino Highway corner Anakbayan St. in Paco, Manila.
The NUPL noted Senados is the 11th prosecutor killed since Duterte became President in 2016.
Police reported that unidentified gunmen aboard a sports utility vehicle (SUV) were involved in the attack.
“Whatever the motive and whoever the perpetrators as should be credibly established, this is absolutely unacceptable in a supposed civilized and democratic society,” National Union People’s Lawyers (NUPL) president Edre Olalia said in a statement.
“The claims to ‘peace and order’ and purported ‘rule of law’ once again fly in the prevailing culture of violence and climate of impunity engendered by official hate speech and penchant for vindictiveness,” he pointed out.
The other 10 prosecutors that had been killed ahead of Bagares are: Rolando Acido who was killed Davao Oriental in 2016; Diosdado Azarcon, 2017, Caloocan; Maria Ronatay, 2017, Rizal; Pablito Gahol, 2017, Mandaluyong City; Reymund Luna, 2017, Quezon; Rogelio Velasco, 2018, Quezon City; Madonna Joy Tanyag, 2019, Quezon City; Geronimo Marabe Jr., 2018, Misamis Oriental; and Salvador Solima, 2018, Cebu; Mary Ann Castro, 2019, Cebu.
Aside from the 11 prosecutors, the NUPL indicated that there have been six judges and 33 lawyers who have been killed since 2016.