Joining human rights defenders, fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) raised their concern over the “continuing culture of impunity” in the Philippines, urging the administration to back the investigations on crimes against humanity and systematic attack on democracy.
The statement was released days after the death of veteran broadcaster and well-known government critic Percival Mabasa, better known as Percy Lapid. He was shot dead in Las Piñas City on Monday evening, Oct. 3 according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“We demand the Marcos administration, in which the late Lapid was critical into, to prove its sincerity in bringing justice to the slain journalist and his grieving loved ones, colleagues, and supporters,” said Pamalakaya on Thursday, Oct. 6.
“In the midst of disinformation and shrinking spaces for discussion of facts, truth-seeking journalists like Mabasa are crucial to the basic sectors like fishers as they echo the plight of the marginalized to the government and to a wider audience,” the group reiterated.
Earlier, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Guevara said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos “is very concerned” over the brutal killing of Lapid. Guevara also confirmed that the Palace was directed to “take a look at the conduct of investigation” into the journalist’s ambush.
Pamalakaya, on the other hand, stressed that the administration should “once and for all renounce the scheme of repression” to stop the culture of impunity in the country.
“This could only be done if Marcos himself will back the investigations on crimes against humanity and systematic attack on democracy of his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte. Otherwise, we will judge the current administration as compliant as the Duterte regime’s criminal impunity,” said Pamalakaya Spokesperson Ronnel Arambulo.