The Integrated Bar of the Philippines on Tuesday asked the Philippine National Police to exert all efforts to arrest the killers of Quezon City Deputy Prosecutor Rogelio Velasco.
“We call upon the authorities to do their jobs and hold to account the perpetrators of this dastardly act against Prosecutor Velasco,” the IBP through its president lawyer Abdiel Dan Elijah S. Fajardo said, in a statement.
“The brazen daylight killing of QC prosecutor Velasco is the latest in a quick succession of murders perpetrated against officers of the Court without any regard to the sanctity of life, and with gross disrespect to their loved ones who will forever be scarred by the violence they had never imagined they would experience first-hand in their lifetime,” the IBP official added.
Velasco was killed in an ambush last Friday, May 11 along Holy Spirit Drive in Barangay Holy Spirit around 4:55 p.m.
He was the first prosecutor attacked this year but he was the 7th attacked since October 2016.
On Oct. 26, 2016, Mati City Prosecutor Rolando Acido was killed outside Mati City Hall of Justice, then on Jan. 11, 2017, Quezon City Prosecutor Noel Mingoa was shot at close range outside a restaurant along Commonwealth Avenue.
Last February, Surigao City Prosecutor Manuel Navarro Tesiorna was shot outside his house. Tesiorna survived the attack.
In May, 2017, Caloocan City Prosecutor Diosdado Azarcon was shot thrice in the head outside his house along Brgy. 63 Kapas Street in Caloocan while Rizal Assistant Prosecutor Maria S. Ronatay was ambushed by a riding-in-tandem last July, 2017.
Then, Reymund Luna was shot to death on Sept. 29, 2017 along Barangay Tongohin in Infanta, Quezon.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police said it was not discounting the possibility that the attempt on the life of Bantayan, Cebu Mayor Vicente Loot is linked to illegal drugs.
“’Yan ay malalim na iniimbestigahan ng ating kapulisan doon at tinitingnan natin ‘yung different anggulo diyan. Una, ‘yung sinasabing alleged involvement sa droga,” said PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde said on television.
“As of this time, hindi pa natin nakukuhanan ng full statement si Mayor Loot kasi,” he added.
Loot, along with his family were attacked at Daanbantayan port over the weekend by still unidentified suspects armed with long firearms.
Loot said the attack was politically-motivated and had nothing to do with his inclusion in President Rodrigo Duterte’s list of officials with alleged links to illegal drugs.
Loot also noted that there were no visible police presence at the port during the attack.
But Albayalde said that the ports were under the supervision of the Philippine Coast Guard.
“Mga Coast Guard usually diyan. Wala talaga tayong pulis. Meron tayong police assistance desk diyan, mga dalawang pulis, just in case ‘yung mga sumasakay diyan, mangailangan sila ng tulong ng ating kapulisan,” Albayalde explained.
Meanwhile, Albayalde reported that two persons of interests were brought in in connection with the killing of former La Union Second District Representative Eufranio “Franny” Eriguel.
“Ine-establish pa natin diyan talaga kung sino pa ang involved diyan at kung ano ang motibo sa pagbaril sa kanya,” he said.