Progressive solons condemn killing of human rights lawyer Ben Ramos

Progressive lawmakers from the House of Representatives on Wednesday condemned the killing of a human rights lawyer in Negros Occidental, who was shot dead on Tuesday night.

In a statement, Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate said the killing of lawyer Benjamin Ramos, a founding of the National Union of People's Lawyers, is "gravely deplorable."

Ramos served as one of the lawyers helping the families of the nine sugar workers killed in Sagay, Negros Occidental.

"The human rights situation in the country now has gone from bad to worse," Zarate said.

"Habang inaatake ang mga lawyers defending the Sagay victims, ang mga tunay na salarin ay at large, dahil sa kapabayaan ng kapulisan at ng gobyernong Duterte," he added.

Ramos, 56, was reportedly shot by motorcycle-riding men and was declared dead on arrival at the hospital after sustaining three gunshot wounds.

Zarate said these attacks against human rights lawyers should stop and those responsible for the crime should be held accountable.

"We will not let this cow lawyers from defending the poor and the oppressed," he added.

ACT Teachers party-list Representatives Antonio Tinio and France Castro, meanwhile, said Ramos' killing only shows the worsening culture of impunity under the Duterte administration.

According to the NUPL, Ramos is the 34th lawyer killed in just two years of the Duterte administration.

"The attacks against human rights defenders must end and justice must prevail. The Duterte administration has been targeting human rights defenders as more human rights violations committed by the military and the police are recorded," Castro said.

"The tagging of human rights defenders and progressives as members of the NPA and terrorists has been the line of the government to discredit, terrorize and demonize their legitimate calls for genuine change, which often lead to more human rights violations. We demand justice for human rights lawyer Atty. Benjamin Ramos," Tinio added.

For her part, Kabataan party-list Representative Sarah Elago said it is ironic that those who fight for the spirit of the law are the ones who get demonized and killed, while the state "perverts" it.

"The tables are turned against the people and their defenders as the police and armed mercenaries of the state reign in impunity, under a president that seeks to monopolize power and wreak havoc on the nation," she said.

"These attacks on human rights and human rights defenders must stop. We demand an impartial investigation into Ramos' murder. Ultimately, we enjoin the youth and the people to stand against these attacks hold the state accountable for the wholesale slaughter of human rights," she added.

The Commission on Human Right's office in Region VI, through its sub-office in Bacolod City, already sent a Quick Response Team to investigate Ramos' murder. — Edwin Colcol/RSJ, GMA News