The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) has assured its full cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of cases involving the continued killing of judges, prosecutors, and lawyers in the country.
“The IBP grieves and is appalled by the increasing and sheer number of assassinations of lawyers, judges, and prosecutors with impunity,” the IBP said through its President Burt M. Estrada.
It said that compared to the average of less than 10 lawyers killed in every administration since 1972, “the numbers, as these now stand under the present administration, have alarmingly increased by as much as 500 percent.”
It pointed out that one of these administrations even had “no lawyer death ever recorded.”
It cited the later killings as those of Iligan City Deputy Prosecutor Victor Begtang Jr. last June 23 and lawyer Sitti Gilda Mahinay Sapie last July 14.
“The IBP will continue to work with the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police to address and arrest these rising attacks against its members just as it calls upon our police and investigative agencies to formulate and implement specific measures to improve the security of lawyers, judges and prosecutors and to expeditiously resolve its investigations on these killings so that the perpetrators are swiftly and truly held accountable,” it said in a statement.
It condoled with the families of the latest victims and assured to provide them assistance including helping in the investigation and prosecution of the cases.