Rizal 2nd District Rep. Fidel Nograles has condemned the recent string of murders involving lawyers, judges, and other workers of the law profession, adding that it could “shake the people’s faith in the country’s justice system.”
Lawyer Joey Luis Wee was shot in broad daylight while walking to his office in Cebu on Monday, November 23.
“Without decisive and drastic intervention, I fear our people’s faith in the justice system may be shaken by these killings.”
He is the 53rd member of the law profession killed since 2016.
“I condemn to the highest degree this latest in a string of murders of members of the law profession. Tama na po—this is the third straight week that a worker for justice has been killed,” Rizal 2nd District Rep. Fidel Nograles said.
“Without decisive and drastic intervention, I fear our people’s faith in the justice system may be shaken by these killings.”
“The killing of lawyers, prosecutors, and judges is an extreme act that instills fear and uncertainty in our people.”
Lawyer Eric Jay Magcamit was gunned down on November 17 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.
The lawmaker urged the government to take all necessary measures to put those responsible for the killings to justice.
“The government has to take a public stand against these extrajudicial killings, and to show that it is serious in tackling this issue. Otherwise, its silence would be treated as a tacit agreement that perpetrators can do as they please,” Nograles said.
Nograles expressed his fear that if left unaddressed, the continued killing of members of the law profession would erode the people’s faith in the justice system.
“The killing of lawyers, prosecutors, and judges is an extreme act that instills fear and uncertainty in our people. The pursuit of law and justice under peaceful conditions should be guaranteed by government,” the solon said.
Without these guarantees, the people would hesitate to fight for their rights in court, Nograles concluded.