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[av_heading heading=’De Lima wants inquiry into killing of lawyers’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY PRINCE GOLEZ
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Friday, March 10, 2017
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MANILA – Jailed senator Leila de Lima is pushing for a Senate inquiry into the killing of lawyers handling high-profile cases.
Specifically de Lima wants an appropriate committee to look into the deaths of lawyers Rogelio Bato, Melver Tolentino, Goering Paderanga, and Mia Mascarinas-Green.
“The recent spate of killings victimizing members of the Bar makes it imperative for the government to enact measures for the personal and professional safety of Filipino lawyers and to effectively prevent attacks on their independence and safety,” de Lima said in filing Senate Resolution No. 300.
Bato was counsel for alleged drug lord Rolando Espinosa, mayor of Albuera, Leyte. He was killed in an ambush in the town on Aug. 25 last year.
Tolentino was shot dead by two motorcycle-riding gunmen on Sept. 16 last year, while Paderanga was shot by a security guard in his office in Cebu City last Dec. 22.
Mascarinas-Green, a known environmental lawyer handling property dispute and criminal cases, was ambushed and shot dead by four motorcycle-riding gunmen near her home in Bohol.
“Governments shall ensure that lawyers are able to perform all their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment, or improper interference,” the former Justice secretary said, citing the 8th United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders.
Quoting the Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers of the UN instrument, she said lawyers “shall be adequately safeguarded by the authorities” when they are “threatened as a result of discharging their functions.”/PN
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