34 lawyers killed since Duterte became president
MANILA — One of the founding members of a Philippine lawyers’ group at the forefront of opposing President Rodrigo Duterte’s lethal war on drugs was gunned down Tuesday, killed by three bullets as he was leaving his office for the night.
The lawyer, Benjamin Ramos, 56, was the 34th lawyer killed since Duterte became president two years ago. His group, the National Union of People’s Lawyers, specialized in doing no-cost work for poor clients whose families have been targeted by police, soldiers and death squads associated with the president’s drug war.
“We are shocked, devastated and enraged at the premeditated, coldblooded murder of our colleague and fellow people’s lawyer,” said Edre Olalia, a leader of the group. “We are disturbed and unbowed. These are dangerous times.”
Initial police reports said that Ramos had just finished work when he was shot by motorcycleriding men near the central town of Kabankalan on Tuesday night. He was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.
Colleagues described Ramos as passionately dedicated to pro-bono work for the poor, environmentalists, activists and political prisoners.
In a speech in August 2017, Duterte told the national police not to be daunted by rights lawyers investigating the thousands of deaths of what he called drug addicts and dealers.
“If they are obstructing justice, you shoot them,” Duterte instructed police, referring to lawyers.