Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), has ordered a through investigation on the killing of a 68-year old lawyer in South Cotabato on Wednesday night, Sept. 15.
At the same time, Eleazar ordered the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) to check on the status of other cases involving members of the legal community as victims.
“The Philippine National Police joins the legal community and the Filipino people in condemning the killing of a lawyer in South Cotabato. This comes with an order for our investigators in South Cotabato to focus on the investigation of the case of Atty. Juan Macababbad in the interest of justice," said Eleazar.
Macababbad was shot dead by three unidentified gunmen in front of his house in Brgy Libertad, Surallah, South Cotabato on Wednesday afternoon. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was declared dead in the hospital.
The gunmen fled after the incident using a motorcycle and are now the subject of the follow-up operation by the local police.
Eleazar said he expects the local police to focus on the case to determine the motive and likewise identify in the soonest possible time those responsible, including the possible mastermind.
“I also ordered the Director, DIDM to check on the status of the cases of all the lawyers who were killed at least in the last five years in order to expedite the investigation on those which remain unsolved,” said PGen Eleazar.