Senate to probe spate of killings in PH

MANILA – The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, chaired by Senator Richard Gordon, is set to conduct a public hearing on the series of killings in the country.

On January 18, Gordon delivered a privilege speech at the plenary and condemned the continued acts of violence perpetrated by criminals including riding-in-tandem gunmen.

Gordon, who has always stood up against the killings in the country, also called for immediate action to end the assassinations, and appealed to arrest and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“One killing is one too many. Alas, there are too many. They have no qualms shooting people in front of their family. They are not even afraid to shoot them in front of their children,” he said in his speech.

He noted that there have been 19 people killed from January 1 up to date composed mostly of civilians based on the news monitoring of his office. Some of these killings happened in broad daylight and some took place at their own homes.

The killings of mother-son Sonya and Frank Gregorio in Tarlac on Dec. 20, 2020, and barangay tanod Joseph Labonera in Floridablanca, Pampanga last January 4 were among the recently reported crimes which caused public outrage.

Gordon said there are too many killing incidents but very few cases are being solved and pointed out that these assassinations will not stop if the public, especially the government, will not act on it.

Aside from the Committee on Justice, the hearing will be jointly conducted by the Committees on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, and Finance.

Among the resource persons who were invited are from the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, National Police Commission, Integrated Bar of the Philippines, and other agencies. (PR)