Palace says killings also happened in previous administrations

December 7, 2020

Apparently saying that killings are not unique under the Duterte government, Malacanang said on Monday that similar incidents also took place during the previous administrations.

This was after Vice President Leni Robredo expressed fear that killings may normalize the culture of impunity in the country following the recent deaths of a mayor and a former mayor in Laguna and Quezon, respectively, a lawyer, and a journalist, among others.

"In all the administrations, there were such killings. The issue is, does the state do its job to investigate, litigate, punish, and provide remedy based on the local laws?" Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a televised press briefing.

He cited that in the case of Los Baños, Laguna Mayor Caesar Perez who was shot dead inside the municipal hall on December 3, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año has already ordered an investigation.

"So, our message to Vice President Leni Robredo, let's wait for the investigation, because it's not instant. There are already steps being taken by the police to identify the killers before making any conclusion," he said.

"And because we are all lawyers, if she has the evidence that it's the government who killed, file the case," Roque added.

Perez was reportedly included in President Rodrigo Duterte's list of so-called "narco politicians" or those allegedly involved in illegal drugs. The Department of Interior and Local Government filed a complaint against him and others in the "narco-list" before the Office of the Ombudsman early last year.

Roque said there were really information that Perez could be involved in illegal drugs.

However, he acknowledged that there was no sufficient evidence yet that could have pinned down the late mayor. Celerina Monte/DMS