The rising incidents of gender-based violence (GBV) has alarmed the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) as it called on law enforcers to investigate, arrest, and put the perpetrators behind bars.
It cited recent GBV cases in the country. It said that last Aug. 23, the body of Jovelyn Galleno was found after she was declared missing on Aug. 5. Then on Aug. 22, 29-year-old Lovely Ann Villagomez was manually strangled inside her home in Malabon City around 1:10 p.m., it said.
Also, it said that last Aug. 9, the body of 40-year-old Josie Bonifacio was found several hours after she was reported missing by her husband. Industrial engineer Princess Dianne Dayor from Barangay Tikay, Malolos City, on the other hand, was found dead on July 5 after being reported missing on July 2, it added.
"CHR condemns perpetrators behind these incidents and we re-echo our call in our previous statement, as is the call of Senator Imee Marcos and Gabriela party-list group Representative Arlene Brosas for law enforcers to immediately investigate and employ action in line with the government responsibility to protect women, children, and as duty-bearer under Republic Act No. 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women," CHR Executive Director Jacqueline Ann de Guia said in a statement.
"This is increasingly important as more children return to school with the resumption of face-to-face classes," De Guia stressed.
The CHR said that based on police reports, all the suspects in the four cases have already been apprehended.
However, De Guia said the CHR will still conduct its separate inquiry through its regional offices.
Aside from the four GBV cases, the CHR noted with equal concern the killings that led to the deaths of a couple on their way to a court hearing in Quezon, the shooting incident in Taguig, the robbery slay of a 16-year-old scholar in Barangay Bulacao, Cebu City, and the still unclear manner of deaths of the Tiamzon couple -- Benito Tiamzon and his wife, Wilma - in a military encounter on Aug. 22.
The CHR has taken comfort in the announcements made by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to look into these killings and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) action for heightened police visibility as a deterrent to crime.
" government, as duty-bearer, has the responsibility to protect its citizens from harm, thus, CHR is hopeful that the above-mentioned pronouncements by the DOJ and DILG will translate into tangible actions to deter crime and attain justice for victims through swift resolution of cases," De Guia said.
The CHR seeks public support in reporting suspicious incidents to the police and to provide any relevant information that might help the police in solving GBV cases, she also said.