Gordon to CHR: Why the silence on riding-in-tandem killings?

Senator Richard Gordon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Senator Richard Gordon on Monday slammed the “deafening silence” in the past on the killings perpetrated by persons riding in tandem on motorcycles.

Gordon pointed out that despite the proliferation of riding-in-tandem killings, there has been little noise about the issue over the last ten years.

He particularly questioned the Commission on Human Rights’ (CHR) “marked silence” on the issue.

“…Sinasabi natin unexplained killings, let me ask the Commission on Human Rights, ilan ba ang napatay na mga riding in tandem dito sa bansa natin (We’re saying unexplained killings, let me ask the Commission on Human Rights, how many were killed by those riding in tandem in our country)? How come I don’t hear any noise that has been going on for the last 10 years?” the senator asked in a statement.

“People riding in tandem shooting people down and we just keep quiet,” he said.

READ: ‘Riding in tandem’ motorcyclists committed over 3,000 crimes in Metro Manila in 2013–police

Gordon noted that due to the high number of incidents of journalist killings, the Philippine has been proclaimed as the murder capital for journalists in the whole world.

Judges, lawyers and policemen, he said, have also become easy targets for riding-in-tandem assassins and yet there has been no reaction from the CHR.

The senator pointed out that since 1986, records show that at least 58 journalists and 19 judges have been killed by riding in tandems.

“The silence is deafening. And we must all work together as a nation to lift the silence on this matter,” Gordon added. JE/rga