Senate strongly condemns ‘brazen’ attacks against lawyers, judges

Senate of the Philippines. (File photo by EDWIN BACASMAS / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate has strongly condemned the “brazen” attacks against lawyers and judges in the country.

Senators on Wednesday adopted Senate Resolution No. 691, which was initially authored by eight lawyer-senators in the chamber.

Before its formal adoption, all members of the Senate were made co-author of the document.

“We must put a stop to this madness…We condemn, in the strongest possible sense, these killings of and acts of violence against members of the bar and bench. To not act nor speak will be an act of cowardice,” Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, one of the principal authors of the resolution, said in his sponsorship speech.

“The failure to condemn, investigate, and prosecute these, and bring the perpetrators to justice is an act of injustice in itself,” he added.

According to Drilon, the “brazen acts of violence” against the legal community send a “chilling message to the members of the bench and the bar who, in the performance of their responsibilities to the society as administrators of justice, should be able to exercise their sworn duties and represent their clients or dispense justice without threats, persecution and fear for their safety and their lives.”

“In the last 20 years, 100 lawyers have been murdered. Official data from the Department of Justice (DOJ) reveals that since 2016, 54 members of the legal profession have been killed,” he said but noted that the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) cited an even higher number of 61 deaths.

Drilon, a former justice secretary, also said that on top of these killings, there are also “sizable incidents” of threats, harassments, intimidations, surveillance, and some other forms of attacks.

“One of these is the rapid escalation of red-tagging against lawyers,” he added.

“This situation is made worse by the lack of general condemnation, of prompt and efficient investigation, and impartial prosecution,” the minority leader, who has been a lawyer for 50 years, further said.

Of the 54 deaths recorded by DOJ, the agency said only five cases have reached the courts, according to Drilon.

“This horrendous pattern of taking lives and violence, impunity, lack of accountability, and apathy are symptoms of a government ran by rule of men and not by rule of law,” he said.

“Has this become a norm?” he added.

The resolution also urged the President to undertake “necessary” actions to ensure the safety of the members of the legal profession “by laying out definitive solutions and actions to address such rampant violence and killings, including the prompt, impartial and efficient investigation and prosecution of the cases.”

“We petition for prompt, impartial, and efficient investigation and prosecution of the cases. We seek justice for our slain colleagues,” he added.

KGA