The recent killings of political figures mirror the situation in the past prior to the declaration of martial law by the late former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Makabayan solon ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro said on Saturday, March 4.

“Nakakabahala na ang mga pag-atakeng ito sa mga opisyal at di na ito masasabing ‘isolated incidents’ tulad ng sinasabi ng mga pulis. Kung nagawa nila ito sa mga opisyal paano pa kaya ang ordinaryong mamamayan (These attacks on officials are worrisome as these could no longer be described as isolated incidents like what the police has been saying. If they can do this to officials then how much more to ordinary cirizens),” said Castro.
Earlier Saturday, in broad daylight, unidentified men shot dead Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo in Pamplona, Negros Oriental.

“Mariin naming kinokondena ang pagpatay kay Gov. Degamo at sa iba pang mga lokal na opisyal noong nakaraang buwan (We strongly condemn the killing of Gov. Degamo and other local officials the past month),” Castro said.

“Kung titignan ang sitwasyon bago ideklara dati ang martial law pagkatapos ay binago ang Konstitusyon ni Marcos Sr. ay kapareho ng nangyayari ngayon (If we look at the situation in the past before martial law was declared, the Constitution was amended after that by Marcos Sr. and it’s similar to what’s happening now),” claimed the deputy minority leader.

The current president, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., is the son of Marcos Sr.

“All these must be taken into consideration as there is again a concerted effort to change the Constitution and these attacks may again be used to justify such a move to make a more totalitarian charter like that of the 1973 Constitution,” said Castro.

“We must be very vigilant and see the patterns that are emerging,” the militant solon further said.