JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra has urged lawyers to band together and come up with measures to protect themselves amid the rash of threats, attacks and killings of those representing clients in drug cases and alleged communist terroristic activities.
Guevarra made the call as he admitted that the spate of killings involving lawyers has become alarming despite government efforts to address the problem.
The justice chief also expressed belief that the recent spate of violence committed against lawyers is work-related.
“Lawyers should take precautions. They know their situation so they should be more aware of the danger or the risk they are facing … So it is incumbent upon them to take the necessary precautions,” Guevarra said in a radio interview.
The DOJ chief suggested that lawyers strengthen their fraternal ties with groups of lawyers such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) and collaborate with law enforcement agencies for their protection.
Guevarra also noted that lawyers are allowed to carry firearms and that the government would be willing to assist them in processing their permits.
“There is no prohibition on carrying firearms and our lawyers know that. Part of their job is to get exposed to dangers and they are not prohibited from carrying firearms. What we can do to help is to expedite the issuance of license to possess firearms and even permits to carry,” Guevarra said.
He also advised lawyers to immediately report to authorities any harassment or threat to their security and life.
On the part of the government, Guevarra noted that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has completed its inventory of cases on lawyers who have been killed since President Duterte assumed office in 2016.
Guevarra said the inventory covers cases under investigation by the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation), under preliminary investigation by the prosecution service and undergoing trial in courts.
He, however, lamented that there were cases which have remained under police investigation for a long period already because the investigators are facing a blank wall.
“Some of these cases are well-planned, the assassination was well-planned that’s why our police investigators are having a hard time cracking the case,” Guevarra said.
Guevarra said the DOJ will focus on cases that have already been filed before the prosecutor’s office or before a court.
The Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) said last Monday a total of 61 lawyers, including prosecutors and magistrates, have been killed under the Duterte administration.
Last January, 53-year-old lawyer Winston Intong from Malaybalay, Bukidnon was shot dead by two men onboard a motorcycle. In 2011, Intong was reportedly arrested along with three other persons, during a buy bust operation inside his office in Valencia City.
The lawyer was allegedly caught selling shabu to an undercover agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) but was later acquitted of the illegal drugs charges.
Lawyer Angelo Karlo Guillen was the latest victim of an attack against those in the legal profession.
Last March 3, Guillen was stabbed with a screwdriver in the head, neck, shoulders and upper back before the assailants fled onboard motorcycles.
Guillen is the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers’ (NUPL) Assistant Vice President for Visayas and a fellow legal counsel for the ATA representing the petitioners in the 11th petition filed by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan).
The DOJ is expected to release soon the results of its inventory.
Activists’ killings
Meanwhile, an official of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) called on authorities to finally release an update on its investigation on the brutal killing of 9 activists last week.
In a Sunday mass homily, CBCP-Episcopal Commission on the Laity (ECL) Chairman Bishop Broderick Pabillo expressed concern over the slow pace of the government probe on the separate anti-insurgency operations of the police in South Luzon on March 7, which resulted in the fatalities.
“One week has already passed [after the incident], but where is the investigation?” the prelate said.
Authorities are looking into the claims of the police that they were forced to shoot the victims, after they supposedly resisted the search warrants against them.
Pabillo said he doubts the credibility of police claims especially since there were incidents, when its personnel would plant evidence to wrongfully convict suspects.
Last Friday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said it will be endorsing the probe of the said incidents, which resulted in the so-called Blood Sunday following the death of 9 activists, to the interagency committee, which is tasked to look into grave human rights violations.
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