Look at authorities’ systematic failure to thwart crimes, Binay urges PNP

Senator Nancy Binay on Wednesday urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) not to treat the recent heinous murder of two mayors as isolated cases.

“The PNP should not treat these incidents as isolated cases of murder or a case of personal vendetta,” Binay said in Filipino.

“Instead, they should look at this as a systemic failure of authorities to thwart and resolve crimes, based on the President’s stand on this issue,” the senator further said.

In her statement, Binay condoled with the family of Mayor Bote.

Prior to Halili’s killing, Duterte was quoted saying that the Tanauan mayor was part of the narco-list of mayors allegedly involved in illegal drugs. He stated this despite Halili’s reputation of parading drug suspects in his vicinity as part of his “Walk of Shame” campaign and advocacy against illegal drugs.

Duterte has said Halili’s shame campaign against drug suspects was only a front and that the mayor himself is also involved in the illegal drug trade, an allegation the mayor’s family vehemently denied.

Bote, on the other hand, is not part of the so-called narco-list, according to the PNP.

Binay said she hopes the PNP would act on the cases with the same eagerness they have when they implemented Duterte’s rule against loiterers or the “antitambay” policy.

“Authorities should show the same eagerness and enthusiasm when they carry out the government’s policy against loiterers, or if possible surpass that zeal, in resolving these crimes,” the senator said.

“Mayor Bote is the fourth local politician murdered since January, 2018, following the killings of La Union second district Representative Eufranio Eriguel; Buenavista, Bohol, Mayor Ronald Tirol; and Mayor Halili,” she pointed out. “Daanbantayan, Cebu, Mayor Vicente Loot, was also attacked but survived,” added the senator.

Binay said these killings of local politicians, three priests, three journalists and three prosecutors since January, 2018 “have no place in a supposedly civilized and law-abiding society like the Philippines.”