The bullet-riddled car of lawyer Connie del Rio-Villamor (Photo by RUEL DAGSANGAN / contributed)
Excluding judges and prosecutors, there are already a total of 24 lawyers killed in a span of two years, the most recent of which was human rights lawyer Benjamin Ramos who was killed Tuesday evening, based on initial data from the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL).
The figure is higher compared to the 27 lawyers killed in a span of eight years or from 2006 to 2014 based on the data from an international organization Lawyers for Lawyers.
Of the 24 killed, authorities have yet to identify the perpetrators of the 15 deaths.
Here is the list of lawyers killed from September 2016 to the present; those marked with an asterisk indicate that authorities have yet to identify the perpetrators.
1. Atty. Rogelio Bato – Tacloban City (August 23, 2016) *
2. Atty. Melver Tolentino – Ilocos Sur (September 15, 2016) *
3. Atty. Honorato Mazo – North Cotabato (October 8, 2016) *
4. Atty. Jemar Apada – Diadi, Nueva Vizcaya (December 1, 2016)
5. Atty. Arlan Castañeda – San Pablo, Isabela (December 20, 2016)
6. Atty. Goering Paderanga, Sr. – Cebu City (December 22, 2016)
7. Atty. Gerik Paderanga – Cebu City (December 22, 2016)
8. Atty. Victor Canoy (Former Judge)- Surigao City (February 2, 2017) *
9. Atty. Mia Mascariñas-Green – Bohol (February 14, 2017)
10. Atty. Elmer Mitra, Jr. – NCR (June 1, 2017) *
11. Atty. Dolores Yumol – Las Pinas City (June 6, 2017)*
12. Atty. Hermie Aban – Puerto Princesa City (August 15, 2017)*
13. Atty. Pablito Gahol – Pablito Gahol (September 3, 2017) *
14. Atty. Expectacion Baldeo – Tiaong, Quezon (December 3, 2017)
15. Atty. Jonah John Ungab – Cebu City (February 19, 2018) *
16. Atty. Henry Joseph Labrador Herrera – Atimonan, Quezon (April 22, 2018)*
17. Atty. Ramy Tagnong – Antipolo City, Rizal (May 4, 2018) *
18. Atty. Geronimo Marabe, Jr. – Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental (May 22, 2018)*
19. Atty. Joey Galit – Cainta, Rizal (June 21, 2018) *
20. Atty. Salvador Solima (Former Prosecutor)- Cebu City (July 2, 2018) *
21. Atty. Rafael Atutubo – Bacolod City (August 23, 2018) *
22. Atty. Connie del Rio Villamor – Tagum City (September 24, 2018)
23. Atty. Edeljulio Romero – Roxas City (September 28, 2018)
24. Atty. Benjamin Ramos – Kabankalan City (November 6, 2018, 11:00 p.m.)
On the other hand, the judges and prosecutors killed in the span of two years are the following:
1. Judge Godofredo Abul Jr. – RTC Butuan City (August 5, 2017)
2. Judge Ricky Begino – MTC-Presentacion, Camarines Sur (June 12, 2018)
3. Judge Edmundo Pintac – RTC Ozamiz City (October 8, 2018)
4. Prosecutor Rolando Acido – Mati City (October 26, 2016)
5. Prosecutor Johanne Noel Mingoa – Quezon City (January 11, 2017)
6. Prosecutor Rogelio Velasco – Quezon City (May 11, 2018)
7. Prosecutor Diosdado Azarcon – Caloocan City (May 22, 2017)
8. Prosecutor Maria Ronatay – Cainta Rizal (July 18, 2017)
9. Prosecutor Reymund Luna – Infanta, Quezon (September 29, 2017)
10. Prosecutor Madonna Joy Ednaco-Tanyag – Quezon City (June 4, 2018)
Last August, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) and the NUPL, along with other groups, have already denounced the killing of lawyers and other members of the judiciary.
IBP National President Abdiel Dan Fajardo said lawyers should not be treated as if they are committing “criminal conspiracy” while serving their clients.
“It is the sworn duty of lawyers to use all lawful means to defend their clients. They should not be harassed, intimidated or treated like criminals when performing their duty,” Fajardo said in a statement. /je
(Editor’s note: Corrected the previously published number from 25 lawyers to 24.)
RELATED STORIES
No ‘criminal conspiracy’ happens when lawyers are serving their clients — IBP
Human rights lawyer shot dead in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental