UNA condemns killing of Calauan youth leader Peña

The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) condemned on Monday the killing of youth leader and candidate for councilor Emman Peña and the slay try on Calauan, Laguna Mayor Buenafrido Berris.

In a press statement, UNA spokesperson Mon Ilagan called it a cowardly and dastardly act meant to intimidate the political opposition.

"These unfortunate incidences of political violence has claimed the lives of people who despise violence. The atmosphere of carnage has become extremely callous and cruel. Calauan just lost a great future leader with the death of Emman Peña,"  Ilagan said.

Peña, a youth leader of UNA, was killed while Berris was wounded in an ambush late Saturday afternoon.

"Ang maruming laro ng politika ay muling kumitil ng buhay sa tahimik na bayan ng Calauan. Isang patraydor na hakbang ng mga taong hindi kayang matanggap ang pagkatalo kaya dinadaan ang kanilang mensahe sa bala imbes na boto," Ilagan said.

He said Vice President Jejomar Binay was saddened with the incident.

"Lubhang nalulungkot si Vice President Jejomar Binay sa sunod-sunod na karahasan sa hanay ng mga miyembro at mga taga-suporta ng UNA. Mariing kinokondena namin ang pagpatay kay Emman at ang balak na pagpaslang kay Mayor Berris," he said.

Ilagan said Peña is the fourth UNA member killed since the start of the campaign.

"Inihahatid ni Vice President Jejomar Binay ang kanyang pakikiramay sa pamilya at mga naiwang mahal sa buhay ni Emman at ang driver na nadamay sa insidente. Dalangin namin ang mabilis na paggaling ni Mayor Berris at kaisa ang UNA sa panawagan ng maagang pagdating ng hustisya sa mga biktima ng political violence," he added.

Peña, 25, was a UPLB DevCom cum laude graduate in 2011 and a professor at the Polytechnic University of Philippines. — Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMA News