Robredo fears normalization of impunity in Philippines after string of killings

The government’s failure to exact accountability on perpetrators of vigilante-style killings may normalize the culture of impunity in the Philippines, Vice President Leni Robredo warned Sunday.

In her weekly radio show, Robredo pointed out that the killing of Los Baños, Laguna mayor Caesar Perez inside the municipal hall last Thursday was not an isolated incident. 

“Mas natatakot ako sa impunity as a whole, na parang napakanormal na lang na mabalitaan natin na may mayor na pinatay, may judge na pinatay, may abogadong pinatay, may media man na pinatay. Alam mo iyon? Bakit ganoon?” she said.

Just last month, a lawyer was shot dead in Palawan, a Manila judge was killed inside her own chamber, and a journalist died in an encounter with soldiers.  A former mayor of Pagbilao, Quezon, meanwhile, died on Saturday, 11 days after being shot.

“Iyong mga nangyari, may napanagot na ba? Kasi mahirap na ganito, kasi kapag nangyayari iyong ganito na walang napapanagot, kasalanan ng pamahalaan na hindi niya kaya protektahan iyong kaniyang mga mamamayan,” Robredo said.

She also welcomed investigations launched by the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation into the recent killings. 

“Masama na hindi naso-solve kasi, ano iyon, pagpapakita ba na walang capacity iyong pamahalaan na mahanap kung sino iyong perpetrators nito?” Robredo said.

“Every time na walang solusyon, ginaganahan iyong iba na gumawa ng masama, kasi hindi naman napaparusahan iyong perpetrators.”

In 2018, presidential spokesman Harry Roque denied that there was a culture of impunity in the country as he claimed that the back-to-back killings of Luzon mayors was an attempt to erode public confidence in President Rodrigo Duterte. — BM, GMA News