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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Human rights group assails unabated killings of lawyers in PH

Human rights group assails unabated killings of lawyers in PH

Published Sep 15, 2023 04:29 am

A group of human rights lawyers has assailed the continued killing of lawyers as it deplored the shooting to death of Atty. Maria Saniata Gonzales Alzate last Sept. 14 in Bangued, Abra.

In a statement issued on Friday, Sept. 15, the International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL), through transitional president Edre U. Olalia, said: "The international legal community has never seen such cold-blooded murders occurring with such frequency and impunity as in other countries where lawyers are also under attack,"

IADL has members in 50 countries.  It "conducts research on legal issues affecting human, political and economic rights, and organizes international commissions of inquiry and conferences on legal and judicial concerns."

“Whatever the motive and whoever are the assailants and masterminds, this merciless murder of a young, principled and idealistic lawyer is enabled by impunity engendered by passive, token and 'ningas cogon' responses from State authorities whose single most important job, mandated even by international law,  is to protect its citizens from harm,” Olalia said.

He also said: “That it happened again against those who push the tide against injustice speaks volumes on the incompetence, negligence and even complicity of governmental institutions ironically overpopulated by her fellow lawyers,"

With the bar examinations taking place this month, Olalia asked: “Can we tell our future colleagues that lawyering, especially those fighting for the rights of the poor and oppressed, is worth all the risks despite the body count in our ranks?”

Police reports stated that Alzate was killed at around 4:55 pm Thursday, Sept. 14, in front of her house in Bengued, Abra. The same reports stated that the lawyer was inside her car when two unidentified assailants approached and shot her. The two suspects quickly fled the scene aboard motorcycles.

The victim was rushed to the Dr. Petronilo V. Seares Sr. Memorial Hospital where she passed away.

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