MARKING the 8th anniversary of the killing of Kian delos Santos, House Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist Rep. Leila M. de Lima called for justice for all the victims of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) and for the urgent passage of a measure that seeks to define and penalize EJKs and related acts.
“Ngayong araw, ginugunita natin ang pagpaslang ng mga miyembro ng kapulisan sa 17-taong gulang na si Kian delos Santos—isang karumal-dumal na krimen na lalong nagsiwalat at nagmulat sa marami nating kababayan ng karahasan, kapalpakan at kademonyohan ng War on Drugs ng nakaraang administrasyon ni Duterte,” she said.
“Isa lang si Kian sa libo-libong pinatay nang walang kalaban-kalaban. Libo-libo pa ang pinatay at nadamay, kasama ang kanilang mga pamilyang naulila at naghihintay pa rin ng hustisya.”
“Justice is catching up. We continue to hope and pray that Rodrigo Duterte, as the mastermind behind these massive killings, will be held accountable, along with his co-conspirators and accomplices.”
A known human rights champion, De Lima renewed her call for the swift passage of House Bill (HB) No. 1432 or the “Anti-Extrajudicial Killing Act”.
Once passed into law, the measure mandates the creation of Inter-Agency Council Against Extrajudicial Killings or the “Anti-EJK Council” to establish programs and promulgate measures to ensure that state and non-state actors who committed EJK are brought to justice.
The penalty of life imprisonment without the benefit of parole shall be imposed upon any public officer, person in authority, agent of a person in authority, or private individual found guilty of EJK.
“EJK is a clear and present phenomenon of the times, boldly challenging our constitutionally protected human right against the taking of life, and a transgression of due process and the presumption of innocence of criminal suspects. EJK remains a grave threat that demands our most urgent effort through legislation,” said De Lima.
“Kailanman ay hindi tayo dapat makalimot at magwalang-kibo sa mga pamamaslang at kawalan ng pananagutan. Hustisya para sa lahat ng biktima ng EJKs! Panagutin ang pasimuno at ang lahat ng kasabwat sa pamamaslang, lalo na sa mga inosenteng bata at sibilyan!” she added.
Aside from the Anti-EJK bill, De Lima also advocated for the establishment of an EJK victims’ compensation fund, which aims to give support for the families left grieving because of the brutal killings under the previous administration.
It can be recalled that De Lima, a former Senator and the fiercest critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s murderous “War on Drugs”, was the first to file a Senate Resolution to investigate the rampant summary executions and extrajudicial killings during the previous administration.
In the 17th Congress, De Lima also signed Senate Resolution No. 516 calling on the government to take the necessary steps to stop the spate of killings, especially of children, following the brutal killing of Delos Santos.
During her stint as Senator, De Lima also pushed for a measure seeking to strengthen the Philippine National Police’s Human Rights Affairs Office (PNP-HRAO) to ensure that policemen will have the highest regard for human rights and rule of law in the exercise of its mandate
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