The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has condemned the separate attacks that resulted in the deaths of three barangay (village) officials in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Sur.
The first attack last Aug. 18, involved Barangay Bulibod Chairman Esmael Latip Mustapha and his wife, Rahima, who also served as a barangay secretary. They were shot dead by six heavily-armed unidentified assailants while they were on their way home.
Last Aug. 19, Barangay Laguilayan Chairman Amado Serra was gunned down by two individuals riding-in-tandem. While he was rushed to the hospital, Serra was pronounced dead due to multiple gunshot wounds.
In a press statement, the CHR said it has deployed a Quick Response Operation (QRO) team to look into the motive behind the attacks and determine whether these were politically motivated.
It said: "We reiterate that protecting the sanctity of the Filipino people's vote also entails ensuring the protection of local officials duly elected by their constituents. These killings, if left unresolved, will only compromise the safety and welfare of the voters in the plebiscite, including the upcoming 2025 midterm elections."
The CHR acknowledged the "prompt" action of the local police regarding these incidents, and has called on law enforcement authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation so as to help alleviate the fears of the constituents.
"It is important that in a democratic country, we take all the necessary measures to ensure that the credibility of our electoral processes remain unperturbed before, during, and after the actual polls. We remain firm that continued occurrences of violence against officials impacts the safe environment of our localities, thereby affecting the decision of voters in the next elections," the CHR said.