Congressmen on Wednesday, March 24 applauded the Supreme Court statement denouncing the killings and violence committed against lawyers and judges that started piling up in 2016, the year the Duterte administration came to power.
Reps. Edcel Lagman (Independent, Albay) and Sarah Jane Elago (Kabataan partylist) issued separate statements praising the SC action on Tuesday.
“The Supreme Court deserves praise and support for finally denouncing and taking initial action on the alarming litany of lawyers, including judges, who have been killed and intimidated during the past several years,” said Lagman.
He added: “The strong and unequivocal statement of the Supreme Court is a feather in its cap, and its awaited final action can be a crowning jewel in its ministry of the law.”
“To buttress its resolve, the high court made the latter part of April 2021 the deadline for the submission of all requisite information from lower courts, law enforcement agencies, and lawyers’ groups for it to take further actions, “including the amendments of the relevant rules, or if necessary, the creation of new ones,” said Lagman.
The Bicolano solon urged the High Court to likewise issue a temporary restraining order suspending the implementation of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.
According to him the ATA has “emboldened security forcers” in red tagging and terrorist baiting of lawyers who have challenged the constitutionality of the law.
One of them, lawyer Angelo Karlo Guillen, was shot and serious wounded recently.
“A welcome move indeed!” Elago said.
“We must solidly follow through on these commitments as we continue to raise our voices and work together to prevent violations and strengthen the protection of human rights,” said Elago.