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Killings of lawyers, judges decried, crackdown urged

A member of Lakas-CMD has expressed concern over the increasing number of lawyers and judges being killed.

Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles denounced the recent killings of a lawyer and judge in separate incidents.

Since 2016, the number of lawyers and judges killed has reached 52.

Lawyer Eric Jay Magcamit was gunned down on Tuesday while on his way to a hearing in Quezon, Palawan.

Meanwhile, Judge Ma. Theresa Abadilla was shot by her clerk of court inside her own chambers in Manila on November 11.

“I denounce these latest acts of violence against workers of the justice sector. I urge our authorities to investigate these killings and resolve all pending investigations so that the victims and their families can have justice,” Nograles said.

Nograles filed House Resolution No. 185 in 2019, which called for an inquiry into the deaths of law practitioners.

Nograles called for the creation by the Department of Justice and Philippine National Police, in close coordination with the Commission on Human Rights and Integrated Bar of the Philippines, of a special task force to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of crimes against workers in the legal sector.

The solon, who is a lawyer by profession, said that the perpetration of violence against memers of the judiciary and legal sector threatens the justice system.

“We need to protect our law workers to reassure our people that they, too, will be safe if they wish to fight for their rights within our justice system,” Nograles stressed.

The neophyte lawmaker also urged the DOJ and PNP to commit to speedily and credibly resolve pending investigations into the deaths of judges, lawyers, and prosecutors.

“Every day that passes that these cases remain unresolved is a mark against the government. Let us not allow the tally to reach the point where the people lose faith in the government’s ability to protect its citizens,” Nograles said.

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