Malacañang, IBP condemn attack on human rights lawyer in Iloilo City

Malacañang and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines condemned on Thursday the attack on human rights lawyer Angelo Karlo Guillen, who reportedly sustained stabbed wounds in the head and shoulder Wednesday night.

Guillen is one of the counsels of the petitioners questioning the anti-terrorism law.

“We condemn that attack. In the same manner, we condemn any attack that seeks to violate the right to life,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.

“Mas karumal-dumal ang pag-atake sa isang abogado dahil inaatake din nila ang rule of law,” added Roque, himself a lawyer.

Roque assured the public the government will the attackers accountable and supports the IBP’s call for justice.

“Inaatasan natin ang kapulisan, NBI na imbestigahan ito ang kasong ito, parusahan ang mga taong nasa likod nito,” he added, referring to the National Bureau of Investigation,” Roque said.

‘Pandemic of criminality’

For its part, the IBP urged lawyers to still do their tasks amid the “pandemic of criminality.”

“Inflicting violence on those who seek justice is criminality in the highest degree,” the IBP said, as it committed to help Guillen’s family, the investigators, and law enforcers in bringing the perpetrators to justice,” it said in a statement.

The lawyers’ organization also reminded the government of its primary role to secure its citizens and its international obligation to ensure that lawyers can do their job “without fear, harassment, or retribution.”

“The danger and terror are real but we enjoin Filipino lawyers to courageously do their sworn duty amidst the pandemic of criminality,” it added.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, meanwhile, said they will wait for Guillen to issue a statement about the incident before making a decision whether to endorse the matter to the AO 35 task force on extrajudicial killings.

“If he has good reason to believe that it’s related to his advocacies, I will refer the matter to the AO 35 task force for appropriate action,” he said.

The National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) earlier said Guillen was stabbed on the head and shoulder

The NUPL also said Guillen’s clients also  include activists arrested during the police raids in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental in October 2019 and the Tumandoks arrested in Panay in December 2020. — Llanesca T. Panti and Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News