Malacañang hits back at critics blaming Duterte for slay of NUPL member

Malacañang on Wednesday hit back at critics who blamed the death of human rights lawyer Benjamin Ramos on the Duterte administration.

"Putting the blame of the slaying on the government by a group or by a member of Congress not only is reckless, irresponsible and baseless as well," presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.

"It will not reduce the sorrow of the bereaved family nor will it bring closer to the attainment of justice. It can only inflame the emotions of those outraged by the senseless death," he added.

Ramos, 56, was killed by motorcycle-riding men in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental on Tuesday night, according to the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL) of which he was a founding member.

He was one of the lawyers helping the families of the nine farmers killed in Sagay, Negros Occidental, last month.

Following his death, former Bayan Muna party-list representative and NUPL chairperson Neri Colmenares linked President Rodrigo Duterte's red-tagging or branding of human rights workers as communists to the killing.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general Renato Reyes, meanwhile, said Ramos' killing proves the prevailing state of impunity in the country.

The Palace condemned the "brutal slaying" and said authorities are working to ensure to that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.

"The President will not allow any person or group of persons violate any law and get away with it," Panelo said, adding Duterte expressed his condolences to Ramos' family.  

"He will spare no one in his relentless drive against criminality pursuant to the constitutional directive for him to protect and serve the country's citizenry." —NB, GMA News