The killing of veteran radio commentator and columnist Percival Mabasa is proof of the “worsening culture of impunity” in the Philippines, an opposition lawmaker said on Tuesday, Oct. 4.
In condemning the killing , House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro called for an impartial probe on the murder of the broadcaster.
Mabasa, more popularly known as Percy Lapid, was gunned down by two armed suspects onboard a motorcycle.
He was the host of a news radio commentary program “Lapid Fire" at DWBL 1242 and a columnist for Hataw.
READ: Radio commentator shot dead in Las Piñas
"Nakakabahala na talaga ang pagpapatuloy at paglala ng extra-judicial killings at harassment sa bansa at ang tinatarget ay mga kritiko ng administrasyong Marcos at Duterte, media man, aktibista o oposisyon pati ang mga relihiyoso (The continuous and worsening extrajudicial killings and harassment in the country targeting the critics of the Marcos and Duterte administratio, media man, activists or opposition, including those religious, are alarming),” France said in a statement.
“Indeed, the culture of impunity is worsening in the country. We condemn this heinous act against Percy Lapid and we are calling for an impartial probe on the matter," she added.
The lawmaker urged the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and Congress to probe Lapid’s murder to get to the bottom of what called the “systematic harassment and killings of administration critics.”
"Sa ganito natin makikita na kadalasan ang hustisya sa ating bansa ay para lang sa mga mayayaman o makapangyarihan at kung ikaw ay nagsisiwalat lang ng katotohanan ay nireredtag ka at sinisiraan para atakehin (We can see here that justice in our country is only for the rich and powerful and if you expose the truth, you will be red-tagged and maligned to be attacked)," she said.