The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) condemns the murder of Deputy City Prosecutor Victor Begtang Jr. right inside the comfort of his home in Conner, Apayao.
Begtang was the ninth (9th) Prosecutor to be killed during this Administration, and the 63rd lawyer killed since 2016.
The lawyers association said the latest lawyer killing added up to the total of 63 killings of lawyers in this administration.
“The numbers, as these now stand under the present Administration, have alarmingly increased by as much as 500%,” IBP said.
According to IBP, the recent killing of Atty. Sitti Gilda Mahinay-Sapie in Davao City on July 14, 2021, and killing of Begtang now added the death toll of 63 lawyers killed during this Administration.
In a statement, the IBP says it grieves and is appalled by the increasing and sheer number of assasinations of lawyers, judges, and prosecutors with impunity.
“In stark contrast, the number of lawyers killed during the previous administrations stretching way back to 1972 was no less than 10 for each administration, with one administration even having no lawyer death ever recorded,” IBP said.
The IBP said it will continue to work with the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police to address and arrest these rising attacks against its members.
It calls upon the police and investigative agencies to formulate and implement specific measures to improve the security of lawyers, judges and prosecutors and to expeditiously resolve its investigations on these killings so that the perpetrators are swiftly and truly held accountable.
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