CHR condemns attacks on barangay officials
THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has issued a statement condemning the RECENT KILLINGS OF BARANGAY OFfiCIALS ACROSS the country, which it said “is alarming and necessitates an immediate investigation.”
The commission said these incidents have been endorsed to various CHR regional offices for further investigation and launching of a quick response operation to assist with the inquiry.
The commission cited various reports on the attacks directed at barangay officials, the latest involving a village councilor who was killed by motorcycleriding men in Mamasapano, Maguindanao del Sur on March 30, 2024.
Other reports cited by the commission include an attack on another barangay councilor on March 6, 2024 in Legazpi City wherein the victim was stabbed to death, and a separate incident in a remote area in Barangay Tudela sa Trento in Agusan del Sur where unidentified armed men gunned down three neighbors on the same day, with one of the victims a former barangay captain.
Another case was a senior citizen who is also a barangay councilor in Legazpi City, Albay.
According to reports, the suspect broke into the victim’s home and stabbed the latter to death on the afternoon of March 8, 2024. The victim was rushed to the hospital and declared dead on arrival.
“These incidents impede everyone’s democratic right to participate in a free and peaceful electoral process by instilling threats not only in the community but also in local leaders seeking to serve their constituents,” the CHR said in a statement.
The commission explained that these “violent acts create a culture of fear and directly breach the most fundamental right of all — the right to life itself.”
“As duty-bearers, we cannot allow citizens to become desensitized to attacks on those engaged in political activities,” the CHR said.
“In pursuit of our mandate to promote and protect the right to life, liberty, and security, CHR will work closely with the relevant government agencies to ensure fairness, transparency, and impartiality in the investigations and prosecution of these cases,” it said.
“The Commission is committed to protecting and safeguarding the rights of all sectors, including those who express an interest or are currently serving the community,” it added.
“We urge all stakeholders to work together to create a violentfree society that values democracy and respects equal political participation.”