Opposition lawmaker Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin on Wednesday blamed President Rodrigo Duterte for allegedly causing the lack of rule of law in the country which has led to the gruesome murders of two mayors in two days.
Villarin said the murders of Tanauan City Batangas and General Tinio Nueva Ecija mayors showed that once the rule of law is abandoned, 鈥渁nybody with a gun and a grudge has a license to kill people without worrying about the consequences.鈥�
He said this 鈥渇ree license was given by Duterte himself by making it clear that no one will face legal repercussions for the extrajudicial killings that are done in pursuit of his anti-illegal drug policy and tagged in his so-called reversed 鈥楽chindler鈥檚 list.'鈥�
The opposition lawmaker鈥檚 remark came after Mayor Ferdinand Bote of General Tinio town in Nueva Ecija was killed in an ambush in Cabanatuan City on Tuesday, a day after Mayor Antonio Halili was shot by a sniper outside the Tanauan City Hall in Batangas.
搁贰础顿:听Nueva Ecija mayor dead in ambush
READ: Tanauan mayor dead after flag ceremony shooting / Tanauan mayor gunned down while singing national anthem 鈥� witnesses
While Filipinos might believe things are improving, the killings instead end up 鈥減rovoking a self-reinforcing cycle of worsening insecurity, vigilantism, and counter-violence,鈥� according to the congressman.
鈥淒uterte鈥檚 attack against institutions upholding the rule of law has led to a weakened state and a population desperate for security thereby pushing everyone to bad decisions culminating to a vicious cycle of violence that destroys society,鈥� Villarin also said.
Gabriela Rep. Emmi De Jesus for her part, called for a thorough and impartial investigation into the violent killings in the hopes that these would not be just another contribution to the 鈥渨orsening culture of impunity鈥� in the country.
鈥淔irst our condolences to the family. Strong condemnation to the cowardly and violent killings! A thorough and impartial investigation is needed and hope these cases would not be just another contribution to the worsening culture of impunity,鈥� she said.
搁贰础顿:听Pangilinan: Ecija mayor鈥檚 killing 鈥榬eminder of breakdown of law and order鈥�
Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque assured the public that the government would 鈥渟pare no effort鈥� to bring justice for the death of Bote.
搁贰础顿:听Palace on Ecija town mayor鈥檚 slay: We will spare no effort in getting justice
Malaca帽ang has also condemned the killing of Halili, whom Roque called 鈥渘apakatibay na kasangga ng Presidente sa giyera laban sa droga (strong ally of the President in the fight against illegal drugs).鈥�
Halili, known for his shame campaign for parading drug suspects and criminals around his city, was earlier included in the list of 鈥渘arco-politicians鈥� but the mayor has denied links to the illegal narcotics trade.聽 /muf
READ: Palace condemns killing of Tanauan mayor, vows justice for kin
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