CEBU CITY—There were some people who wanted human rights lawyer Rex Fernandez dead.
This was disclosed by Fernandez himself in a Facebook post last August 16 or a week before he was gunned down.
Fernandez was killed while his driver was critically wounded after they were ambushed on the corner of Salvador and Good Shepherd Streets in Barangay Guadalupe.
The attack was captured by a security camera.
In the video, the Toyota Camry boarded by Fernandez was about to cross to the other road when a man who had been waiting in a bakeshop ran to the side of the vehicle where the lawyer was seated.
The assailant then fired several shots before running to a motorcycle driven by an accomplice.
Last August 16, Fernandez posted in his Facebook account about the issue surrounding him and the management of the condominium where he was staying in Mandaue City.
Fernandez had staged a hunger strike outside the building after his water supply in his condominium was cut for failing to pay his dues.
In the post, Fernandez said some people wanted him dead when they made fun at him after he decided to end the hunger strike.
Fernandez named three persons who should be held responsible if he gets killed.
Meanwhile, the lawyer’s family believed that the killing was work-related.
Police Col. Josefino Ligan, chief of the Cebu City Police Office, said that based on their initial talks, Fernandez' children suspected that the killing had something to their father’s job.
"With the magnitude of his work, it is likely that it was job-related but the personal angle is still there," said Ligan, who will lead the Special Investigation Task Group Fernandez.
The children told investigators that they have been fearing for their father’s life due to the numerous cases that he handled and the people's organizations he was affiliated with.
Fernandez was a founding member of the National Union of People's Lawyers (NUPL).
"The recent killing of Atty. Rex supports the long-observed spate of attacks against lawyers, paralegals, and human rights workers have dramatically increased as the culture of impunity continues and the lack of investigation and prosecution over thousands of extrajudicial killings in the country," NUPL said in a statement.
"One of the founding members of NUPL, Atty. Rex has served as legal counsel in numerous human rights cases in Central Visayas including the murder charges of political prisoners Eduardo Sacamay and Jigger Geverola; illegal possession of firearms case of Nito Banga, another political prisoner; and cases of simple disobedience and violations of the Public Assembly Act of 1985 against the “Cebu 8”, consisting of eight individuals arrested for alleged violations of community quarantine rules amid the Junk Anti-Terror Law protest action last June 2020 at the University of the Philippines-Cebu," NUPL added.
Ligan said the gunman could be a professional gun-for-hire based on how the attack was executed.
“The gunman was not wearing any other face cover except for a facemask. He was also calm after shooting Fernandez,” said Ligan.
At least six spent shells were recovered in the crime scene.
As to the persons that Fernandez said should be held responsible if he gets killed, Ligan said investigators will reach out to them after they were mentioned in the lawyer’s Facebook post.
Fernandez' son Rex Rubens appealed for financial assistance for the driver’s hospital expenses.
"He is currently at 50/50 status. Undergoing spine surgery and liver/kidney surgery due to the gunshot wound he acquired. He is part of our family and has been a great caretaker of our dad," said Rex Rubens.
NUPL data showed that Fernandez was the 64th lawyer killed under the Duterte administration and the eleventh slain lawyer in Central Visayas.
"We reiterate our call on the Philippine government to comply with its constitutional and international law obligations to guarantee the safety and integrity of human rights defenders, afford protection to the members of the legal profession, and ensure that they can perform their duties without harm, intimidation or harassment."