The public must unite against the indiscriminate killings of priests, local government officials, loiterers and youths, Vice President Leni Robredo said on Wednesday.
Robredo, in a statement, lamented how the killings appear to have become normal in the Philippines.
“Are we going to accept that violence will reign over our country?” Robredo said in Filipino. “We must not let our country fall into chaos. In these times, we should unite our voices against this violent culture.”
Recently, the mayors of Tanauan City, Batangas and General Tinio, Nueva Ecija were gunned down by unidentified assailants.
Priests were also shot dead by unidentified gunmen over the past few months, while a 22-year old man was killed after he was arrested for not wearing a shirt outside his house.
Robredo called on authorities to intensify their investigation into these killings and to swiftly act to put a stop to these crimes.
Robredo also said she believes that many more Filipinos have felt anger over these killings.
“I am one with every Filipino who longs for a country free from violence; a country where there is justice for victims of killings, no matter what their status are in life,” the Vice President said.
“In our words and in our deeds, we should show the real face of the Filipino: caring, not violent, recognizing the importance of life, not ending it,” she added. /muf